 
### Her Reluctant Rancher

by

Anne Marie Novark

***

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Book One: Return to Stone Creek Series

Trevor Callahan's grandfather is dead. As a kid, living with the stern old man had been a pure living hell. Trev returns to Stone Creek for one reason and one reason only: To sell the Rocking C Ranch. Maybe then he can put his past behind him and move on.

Beth Evans once confused lust for love and vows never to let it happen again. The bookmobile driver is trying to raise funds to build a new library. The late Hank Callahan bequeathed one million dollars for the project, but he attached one stipulation: Do not let his grandson sell the ranch.

***

Her Reluctant Rancher

Copyright © 2011 by Anne Marie Novark

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author or publisher except for the use of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

***

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.

***

### Dedication

### For my mother, BK Reeves:

### Mentor, critique partner, friend.

### Thanks, Mom.

### And to James, who never doubted my success.

### You are my own personal hero.

### ***

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

### ***

### CHAPTER ONE

Trevor Callahan pulled his truck to a stop in front of the rambling old ranch house that had belonged to his grandfather. He made no move to get out of the truck, but sat still and erect, gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles ached from the pressure.

Trev had grown up in this house. The place should have held good memories, but didn't. Hank Callahan was dead and the only thing Trev felt was relief. He'd returned to Stone Creek, Texas, to settle his grandfather's estate and sell the Rocking C Ranch. The sooner he was rid of it the better.

The noonday sun burned brightly. It was already hot for the middle of May, promising a scorcher of a summer in the weeks to come. Bermuda grass struggled to grow in the dusty red soil surrounding the two-story house. The wooden columns supporting the front porch needed a fresh coat of paint

Trev climbed out of the pickup truck and walked toward the house. On the porch, two large clay pots filled with red geraniums flanked the front door. The splashes of color emphasized the neglect surrounding them.

When he reached the porch steps, the door opened and out walked a little girl. Trev froze in his tracks. _What the hell was a kid doing in Hank's house?_

The screen door slammed behind her. Cocking her head, she frowned. "Who are you?"

Trev frowned back. "Trevor Callahan. Who are you?"

"I'm Margaret Lynn Evans. Mommy calls me Mags, but you can call me Maggie." She studied him, obviously taking his measure. "You sure don't look like your pictures."

"What pictures?"

"You know. In the magazines. You don't look like your pictures in them."

Trev stepped onto the porch and looked down at her. For such a small person, she certainly seemed sure of herself. "I'm not photogenic."

"Huh?" She tilted her head, studying him some more. "Oh well, the pictures aren't _that_ bad. But you look a lot better in person." When she smiled, something shifted in Trevor's chest. He rubbed the offending spot, trying to make the strange feeling go away.

"You know," Maggie said, hands on hips. "It's about time you showed up. We've been waiting forever."

Before he could reply, she opened the door and disappeared inside. "Mommy! Guess who's here?"

Trev shook his head and followed the little girl into the house. Standing in the foyer, he braced himself. For what, he didn't know. Bad memories? Hank's ghost?

Get a grip, Callahan.

An amused husky voice drifted in from the kitchen. "Calm down, Mags. Who in the world is it?"

"It's that man. Trevor Callahan."

" _What_?" Maggie's mom said. "He's here? Did you let him in?"

"No, I left him on the porch. Can we eat now?"

"Why didn't you let him come in? Goodness, what can he be thinking? Oh my." The woman stopped abruptly in the doorway when she saw Trevor standing in the foyer.

She was pretty. Very pretty. A sleeveless green blouse and denim shorts complemented nice curves and long legs. She had gorgeous eyes and full, generous lips. A mop of long curly red hair was pulled back in a ponytail, making it difficult to guess her age. Early to mid-twenties probably. Nothing shifted inside Trev's chest as he gave her the once over, but another part of his body suddenly stirred to life.

"You're Trevor Callahan?" She wiped her hands on a dishtowel and eyed him up and down. "You look nothing like your pictures."

What was it with the pictures? "So I've been told."

The woman grinned. "Mags said that, too?"

Her grin was contagious, but Trev rarely grinned. "Yeah, she mentioned something about it."

"Mags has a habit of speaking her mind."

"Like her mother?"

"Hey, I didn't say it was a good habit." She slung the dishtowel over her shoulder. "Wow, I can't believe you're finally here. Hank died almost eight months ago. His lawyer's been trying to contact you forever."

"I've been out of the country." Trev looked around the living room. His grandfather had remodeled and bought a few new pieces of furniture. Had he bought himself a new little wife, too? "And you are?"

"I'm sorry." The woman offered her hand. "Beth Evans. I was a friend of Hank's."

Trev shook her hand, conscious of soft skin sliding against his palm. "A friend?"

She jerked her hand away, green eyes blazing. "Not that kind of friend, Mr. Callahan."

He shrugged. "My mistake. I wasn't expecting to see anyone except Bonita. Is she still the housekeeper?"

"Yes, but she's not here right now--"

"Mommy!" Maggie yelled from the kitchen. "I'm hungry."

"Just a minute, baby," Beth called over her shoulder. She turned back to Trevor. "Hey, do you want some lunch? We were about to sit down when Mags heard you pull up. I can make more sandwiches." She didn't wait for an answer, but led the way to the kitchen.

Trev followed, enjoying the view of her backside while wondering what kind of relationship Beth Evans had shared with his grandfather. And why would she have wanted any kind? The old man had been the worst kind of bastard. Rough around the edges, harsh, strict. Antisocial. An unlikely acquaintance for someone like this lively young woman.

Trev sat at the same metal table that had stood in the kitchen when he'd been a boy. Hank had upgraded the room with new cabinets and appliances, making the old chrome dinette set look out of place in the new surroundings. Just like Trev felt. Had always felt.

Maggie sat on a chair with three stacked encyclopedias boosting her up to the table. She stared at Trevor and he stared back. He couldn't tell how old she was; he didn't know that much about children.

"So, you're Poppy's grandson," she said.

"Poppy?" What was this? _The Twilight Zone_? What were the woman and kid doing here? His grandfather had been wealthy. Was Beth some kind of gold digger? Trev had plenty of experience with money-hungry women, but for some reason, he didn't think Beth was one of them. Or maybe he just didn't want to. He watched her move around the kitchen. She had a fresh innocent look about her. He reminded himself that looks could be deceiving.

"That's what Mags called Hank." Beth placed a platter of sandwiches, a jar of pickles and a bag of chips on the table. She poured iced tea for herself and Trevor, milk for Maggie. Then she sat down and began filling her daughter's plate.

The little girl sighed. "I miss him something awful."

Beth ruffled the gold curls. "I know, baby. I miss him, too."

"Do you miss Poppy?" Maggie asked Trevor. She took a bite of her sandwich and looked at him with big blue eyes.

_Aw, hell_. He didn't want to lie to the little girl, but then again, he didn't want to hurt her feelings. "I hadn't seen Hank in years. I left the ranch a long time ago."

"Well, he sure missed you," Maggie said. "He told me--"

"Margaret Lynn, eat your lunch."

Maggie shrugged and grinned at Trevor. "She only calls me that when I'm in trouble. Am I in trouble, Mommy?"

"Mags, please. Mr. Callahan doesn't want to hear about Hank."

Trev took a drink of his tea. How did Beth Evans know he didn't want to hear about his grandfather? How much did she know about his relationship with Hank?

"But why?" Maggie asked. "Poppy was his grandpa. I don't understand."

"Hush. Eat your lunch." Beth selected a sandwich and opened the pickle jar. "I'm sorry," she said to Trev. "Mags is five, going on thirteen."

"Five and a half," the little girl said. "I'm five and a half."

"That old, huh?" Trev asked, amused in spite of himself. Something about the kid was getting to him. The whole situation was getting to him.

Maggie nodded and took another bite of sandwich. She watched him as she chewed and swallowed. "I like you," she said suddenly. "I'm glad you came."

That weird sensation shifted again inside Trev's chest. He didn't like it. He didn't trust it either.

"Mags, eat." Beth offered the platter to Trevor. "It's tuna. Probably not what you're used to, but it's good."

"Tuna's fine." Trev grabbed two sandwiches and chowed down. The trip from Tulsa had taken all morning, and he'd only had a cup of coffee before he'd flown down in his Cessna. Janet had arranged for the truck to be waiting at the Stone Creek Airport. Thank God for competent secretaries.

Silence settled around the table while everyone focused on their meal. Before it became awkward, Beth spoke up. "Hank told me you own a construction company. And of course, I read all about you in _Time_. Do you enjoy your--"

"He doesn't look like his pictures, does he, Mommy? He says he's not photo . . . photo . . . What was that word you used?" She took a drink of milk, leaving a white mustache over her cute little mouth.

"Photogenic," Trev said. Yeah, the kid was definitely getting to him.

"Photo . . . genic." She beamed at him. "What's that mean 'zactly?"

Beth handed her daughter a napkin. "It means he doesn't take pictures very well." She glanced at Trev and offered a shy smile.

Damn, she was good looking. Trevor found himself wanting to smile again. Her red hair glowed in the sunlight streaming through the kitchen window. A sprinkle of pale freckles traipsed across her nose and cheeks. When she licked a crumb from her bottom lip, Trev's body flexed in response. _Well, hell._

He gulped down half his tea. Where was the husband? Beth said she was staying here at the ranch. Was there a husband? Did Trev want there to be a husband?

"He looks a lot better than his pictures. Don't you think, Mommy?"

"I . . ." Beth's green eyes snagged his and a blush stained her cheeks. She quickly looked away.

Trev felt the awareness crackle across the table between them, and he didn't think it was all one-sided either.

Interesting.

"Well, don't you think he looks better than his pictures?" Maggie took another drink of milk.

"Yes," Beth said, keeping her eyes on her plate. "Eat your sandwich, Mags."

Maggie smiled at Trevor. "So now you don't have to feel bad about your pictures in the magazines."

"Thank you. I appreciate that." He looked at the woman sitting across from him. The blush became more pronounced.

Beth cleared her throat and lifted her head. "Do you enjoy your work? It must be exciting to travel all over the world building hotels and convention centers."

"It's not glamorous, if that's what you're thinking."

She chuckled. "Maybe not to you, but . . . Wow, I can't even imagine having the kind of money you have." She closed her eyes and groaned. "Oh God, I can't believe I said that. I told you I'm as bad as Mags. Worse, even."

"Hey, I'm not bad!" Maggie said.

"Of course not, pumpkin. I meant you sometimes say things you shouldn't." Beth glanced at Trevor. "Just like I do. I'm sorry I said that. I'm feeling a little awkward here. I mean, I'd gotten used to the fact that Hank had more money than he knew what to do with. But his picture was never in _Time_ or _Newsweek_. He was just good old Hank with the battered Stetson and scuffed cowboy boots."

_Good old Hank_? Trev had definitely stepped into _The Twilight Zone_. "Don't worry about it," he said. "Can I ask you a question?"

Beth nodded.

"How did you become acquainted with my grandfather? And why are you here?"

Maggie scooted out of her chair and jumped to the floor. "Finished. I'm going to work on our project."

"Wait!" Beth caught the little girl's arm as she darted past. "We need to clean you up."

Trev watched while Beth guided her daughter to the sink and wiped her mouth and hands clean. Maggie wiggled and sighed and wiggled some more.

"All done." Beth kissed the top of her head.

The little girl drooped her shoulders and let her arms hang down by her sides. She let out another huge sigh. " _Now_ can I go work on the project?"

"Sure. But don't climb the ladder. Promise you won't."

"Okay, I promise." Beth patted her daughter's bottom before the little girl took off at a run.

"What kind of project?" Trev asked.

Maggie skidded to a halt and turned around. "A very important project. Me and Mommy are organizing Poppy's books according to the Dewey Decimal System."

"Dewey Decimal System?"

Maggie looked at him as if he were a dunce. "You know, like in the library? Poppy gave Mommy all his books for the new library." The little girl flew out of the kitchen leaving Trev stunned and skeptical. His grandfather had never been known for his generosity. What the hell was going on here?

****

Beth walked slowly back to the table, acutely aware of Trevor Callahan's eyes lasered on her. She wished Mags hadn't left her alone with him.

"Hank gave you his books?" he asked.

The deep voice sent a jolt of something warm and fluid coursing through her body. "Yes, he did. Well, to the library, not to me personally."

She sank into the chair before her knees gave way. Hank's grandson made her nervous and awkward. Mags was right. The man looked a lot better in real life than in his photographs. A whole lot better.

Trevor's eyes narrowed. Intense, hard gray eyes. A shiver of awareness shot up her spine. "Why did Hank give you the books?" he asked.

Beth tried to concentrate on the conversation. "Hank didn't think you'd want them. You don't want them, do you?" His grandfather's extensive collection filled walls and walls of shelves in the old man's private study. She knew Trev hadn't gotten along with Hank. They'd been estranged for years. She hoped like heck he didn't want the books.

"No, I don't want them," he said. "But you still haven't answered my question. In fact, you haven't answered any of my questions."

Beth leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her own eyes. "Is this an interrogation?"

"No, I just want some explanations." He sat back and imitated her stance.

The man was too arrogant for his own good. And too damned handsome by far. He was big and muscular. His powerful presence filled the kitchen, making Beth extremely conscious of her femininity. Her body tingled all over, with a sexually-aware kind of tingle she hadn't experienced in a long time.

"Well?" He raised one eyebrow. His black hair was cut short. Almost too short. He had a long jaw line and a straight nose. There were two deep furrows between his thick brows, indicating a habitual frown. He definitely wasn't Beth's type. If she had a type, which she didn't. She never dated. No way. No how. Not since Mags. And even if she did date, this man was way out of her league.

He was filthy rich. She wasn't.

Beth cleared her throat. "You asked how I met Hank. I came to Stone Creek when Mags was a baby, so my parents could help me with her."

Trev grabbed another sandwich. "Where's her father?"

The man could sure put away the food, Beth thought. But there wasn't an ounce of fat on his body that she could see. Only muscle and brawn. Lordy, lots of muscle and lots of brawn.

Beth took a deep breath. "He left before she was born. I was young. He was young." She shrugged. "At least I have Mags."

Trev nodded. "She's a cool kid. I don't know much about children, but do all five-year-olds talk the way she does? I mean, come on . . . The Dewey Decimal System?"

Beth grinned and shrugged. "Mags is very bright. She's been reading since she was two. I have a tough time keeping up with her."

"I bet. So, you came to Stone Creek when Maggie was a baby?"

"Yeah, I tried to make it on my own for a while, but going to college, working and taking care of Mags was difficult." Beth didn't like to think about how difficult that time had been. "Mom and Dad moved here from Midland. They're _semi-retired_ , or so they say. Mom runs a beauty shop three days a week and Dad works part time at the golf course. I live in a garage apartment behind their house."

Trevor frowned. "You seem to be making yourself right at home here. Why is that?"

"Long story."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Beth sipped her tea. The man certainly had an attitude. He was demanding and oh so sure of himself. She needed to keep in mind what he'd done to Hank. "Like Mags said, Hank left me the books after he died. I've been spending my free time organizing them. Mags and I sometimes stay over and sleep in one of the guest rooms. Bonita enjoys the company. She adores Mags."

"Your daughter's a charmer," he said with a hint of a smile.

Beth nodded. His smile seemed rusty and she wondered why. Dragging her gaze from his lips, she caught Trevor looking at her. She took another deep breath. "Mag's charm came in handy in dealing with Hank."

"How's that?" He popped a couple of chips into his mouth.

Look away from the man's mouth, Beth.

She took another sip of tea. "I drive the county bookmobile and I'd heard about his huge collection. We're always short on books and rarely get anything new. So one day I approached him about lending some of his books out."

"And what was my grandfather's reaction?"

"He wasn't very receptive. In fact, he flat out refused." Beth remembered Hank standing behind the screen door, looking at her like she'd lost her mind. The old man had been infamous for his rudeness. He'd lived a hermit-like existence after his grandson had abandoned him. The grandson sitting across the table from her now.

"That doesn't surprise me," Trevor said. "But somehow I don't think you let it go at that."

"You're right, I didn't. I came back the next week and I brought Mags with me. Need I say more?"

"She charmed the books out of Hank?" There was that rusty smile again. Beth's stomach fluttered in response.

"Oh yeah," she said. "Mags wrapped the old man around her little finger in a matter of minutes. After that, Hank's ranch was a regular stop on my bookmobile route."

Those gray eyes lasered onto her again. "You don't look like the librarian type. You don't fit the image at all."

Beth shrugged a shoulder. "Can't judge a book by its cover."

"Don't I know it?" The tone of his voice made Beth think he'd been deeply hurt by someone. A woman? Hank? But Trevor had been the one to cut off all communication with his grandfather, hadn't he?

She watched as he finished his sandwich, wiped his mouth and threw down his napkin. "When will Bonita be back?"

"I'm not sure," Beth said, toying with her chips. "She went to Laredo. Her mother is ill. I naturally offered to stay here and look after the place while she's gone."

"You naturally offered?" He looked like he didn't understand the concept.

"Well, yes. There was no one else to help out. Bonita didn't want to just up and leave. But her mother is old and--"

"What about Leo?"

"Leo? He has enough to do overseeing the hands and keeping the ranch running."

"So, you moved in?" He made it sound like she was going to use squatter's rights to take control of the Rocking C Ranch.

"Only temporarily," she said. "To help Bonita. Now that you're here, of course I'll leave." No way could she stay in the house with Trevor in residence. She felt dizzy just thinking about it. Her hormones had awakened from a long dormant sleep and Beth didn't trust the little suckers. Not one bit. They'd gotten her into trouble once and she didn't want that to happen again. When it came to men, Beth knew she was a walking disaster.

She picked up her sandwich and bit into it. What with talking so much, she'd neglected her food. And she was hungry. She and Mags had worked all morning sorting books.

Trevor poured more iced tea in his glass. Beth felt his eyes on her as she ate. Her stomach flip-flopped again. Oh no, she couldn't stay.

"You don't have to leave," he said, breaking the awkward silence.

Beth jerked her head up and stared at him. "Excuse me? Yes, I do. I'm leaving."

"No, you're not. There's no reason for you to go. I'll be in and out a lot while I'm in Stone Creek. You obviously have a big job to do with the books. We won't get in each other's way. And I'll make it worth your while."

Beth frowned. Surely the man didn't mean that like it sounded. "Make it worth my while?"

He shrugged. "Pay for your services."

"My services?" She knew she sounded like a parrot, but she couldn't help it. The man had her flustered.

"Cooking, cleaning, looking after the place. Like you're doing now. Only you'd get compensated."

"I don't want your money."

"What do you want?" he asked softly.

"Nothing." That was a loaded question, one she wasn't prepared to answer at the moment. Beth wanted something from Trevor Callahan all right. She'd been waiting eight long months for him to return to the ranch.

"Stay."

Good lord. That sexy low voice kindled a fire low in Beth's belly. The man was obviously used to getting what he wanted. "I . . . I can't stay."

"Why not?"

"I don't think it would be a good idea." Not good at all considering her hyperactive libido.

"All right. Do you know someone who could fill in until Bonita returns?"

"Why? Can't you fend for yourself?" Silly question. The man probably couldn't boil water or tackle any other household chore. He was so rich, he wouldn't have to.

He shrugged. "I can, but I'm not accustomed to it. I have a housekeeper and personal assistant in Tulsa."

Just as she'd thought. "And I suppose they look after your every need?"

"Not all of them." A flash of heat flared in his eyes. It was gone just as fast. "Do you know anyone who would be interested in the job?"

Good grief, the man was lethal. She needed to keep up her guard. Keep in mind what he'd done to Hank. Keep in mind what she needed from him. "I can't think of anybody off the top of my head."

"So, you're going to leave me in the lurch?" he asked. "You're going to let Bonita down?"

Oh, the man was good. "Look, Mr. Hotshot, you might manipulate everyone else around you, but not me."

"I'm not trying to manipulate--"

She raised her eyebrows and lifted her chin.

"Okay, okay. I was trying to be a nice guy for once."

"You're not a nice guy?"

"Not usually."

"Never?"

He shook his head.

"I see." Beth wondered what he meant, but was afraid to ask. Considering how he'd left Hank--that hadn't been nice at all. And it didn't bode well for her plans.

"Look," he said. "I thought you could continue like you've been doing and the arrangement would benefit us both."

"Well . . ." Beth sighed. She never could resist anyone who needed help.

"I won't be here for long," he continued. "And I'm not going to jump your bones, if that's what you're afraid of."

"Certainly not! I didn't mean--" But that was exactly what she was afraid of. She hadn't felt this kind of attraction since Matt Evans. The father of her child. The husband who'd left her high and dry.

"Maggie will be the perfect chaperone." Trevor seemed amused by the situation, but the gleam in his eyes issued a dare.

"That's true," Beth said, rising to the challenge. "And it _would_ be more convenient for me. The next couple of weeks are going to be hectic, what with school coming to a close." And she really needed to get those books organized.

Plus there was a decided advantage to staying at the ranch. Without his cooperation, she was doomed. That settled it.

"I'll stay," she said.

"Good. You won't even know I'm here." Trevor leaned back again and crossed his arms over his broad chest. The top two buttons of his black knit shirt were undone revealing a dark hairy chest. Black hair covered his sinewy arms.

Beth's throat went dry. The man was dangerous. Could she actually live in the same house with him, day in and day out, without giving in to her hormones? Of course she could. She was older now, wasn't she? A mother, for heaven's sake. And she'd learned her lesson the hard way.

Besides, Trevor Callahan couldn't possibly be interested in Beth Evans. They were from totally different worlds. And she couldn't really be interested in a man like him anyway. Look what he'd done to Hank, she reminded herself. Besides, the man wasn't looking for a relationship, for crying out loud. He wanted a housekeeper, so a housekeeper she would be. Nothing more, nothing less.

### CHAPTER TWO

After hauling his bags upstairs to his old room, Trev inspected the house from top to bottom. Except for Hank's room. He wasn't ready to face that yet, so he skipped it and made his way outside to the barns, stables and corrals.

The Rocking C Ranch was famous for beef cattle and cutting horses. That's all his grandfather had ever cared about. His ranch and his livestock. Nothing else had mattered. Nothing else had been important.

After Trev sold the ranch, he would never have to think about his grandfather again. He would finally be free.

About damned time.

The barnyard and stables looked pretty much the same as he remembered. The fences were new and there were several buildings that hadn't been around when Trev had lived on the ranch.

Except for the wind rustling through the mesquite trees and the noises made by the animals, everything was quiet. Not unusual for a Sunday afternoon. Most of the hands probably had the day off, either lounging in the bunkhouse or visiting family and friends. A few would be riding the range, taking care of the cattle and horses.

Trev knew Leo Smith would be working in the office next to the stable. Hank's foreman and right-hand man took his job seriously. Always had. Always would. The Rocking C was as important to Leo as it had been to Hank.

The earthy smell of horses and hay greeted Trev when he walked into the stable, triggering an onslaught of memories. The stable had been his refuge during the difficult years with his grandfather. Leo had been his refuge, too. How many times had the man stood up to Hank on Trev's behalf?

Twenty years ago, Trev had left the Rocking C. Now, for the first time, he realized not only had he rejected his grandfather, he had also abandoned Leo.

"Hey, boy!" A low gritty voice cut into his thoughts. Leo stood at the door leading to his office. "I thought I heard someone pull up to the house earlier. Didn't know it was you. Come on in. Let me take a look at you, son."

The foreman's appearance shocked Trev. Leo was still big and sturdy with skin like tanned leather. But his black hair was silver now, the lines on his face deeper. He had to be sixty or sixty-five years old. Somehow, Trev hadn't thought about how much the man would have changed during the passing years. What else had changed?

"How're you doing, Leo?" He shook hands with the old man.

"Aw, hell, son. That ain't gonna hack it." Leo wrapped his arms around Trev's shoulders and gave him a big bear hug. He slapped him several times on the back, then hugged him again.

"You look good, boy," he said, holding Trev at arm's length.

"So do you, Leo. So do you." Trev didn't like the rush of emotions clogging his brain. He hadn't let himself feel anything in a long time. It was better that way. Safer. Caring made a man weak. If his grandfather had taught him anything, it was that. And a man never showed weakness. Never.

It crossed his mind though, that Leo had never been afraid to show his feelings. And Leo Smith was one of the strongest, toughest men Trev had ever known. Funny how he'd never thought about it that way before.

"Have a seat." Leo indicated a chair in front of the large oak desk. "Been too damn long, boy. You should've come home sooner."

Trevor sank into the chair. "You know why I didn't."

Leo sat behind his desk. He lifted his Stetson and raked his fingers through his gray hair. "Yeah, I know. Cain't rightly say I blame you. But I missed your sorry hide. Bonita did, too. And believe it or not, so did Hank."

"Sure he did," Trev said. "He told me not to let the door hit me in the butt when I left. Yeah, he missed me all right."

"Son, your granddaddy was a hard man--"

"A hard ass, you mean."

Leo shrugged. "No gettin' past that. But he mourned your going. As the years went by, Hank regretted how he'd treated you."

Trev shifted in his seat. "I don't care. He was a mean son of a bitch and we both know it. I was a kid. What he did wasn't right."

"I never approved of how he treated you," Leo said. "It was wrong. He had his reasons--"

"I don't want to talk about it." Trev didn't want to think about it. That part of his life was over. Long gone and buried.

"You need to talk about it," Leo said. "Talkin' helps. I didn't used to think so, but I'm older now. Wiser, I hope. When you're ready, I'll be here."

"I'll never be ready."

"Just remember what I said." Leo leaned back in his chair. "So, you've finally come home. How long you plannin' to stay?"

The moment of truth had arrived. Trev had to tell Leo what he was going to do. He rotated his shoulders to ease the tension there. He hadn't thought it would be this hard. "The Rocking C was never my home. Not really. I'm selling the ranch."

Leo shot out of his chair like a rocket. " _Selling the Rocking C?_ "

"Yes."

"Hell and tarnation, boy! Why would you want to do a fool thing like that?"

"You know my reasons."

The foreman sat back down, muttering curses under his breath. "Damn Hank Callahan and his mule-headed ways. He was afraid this was going to happen, but I didn't think you'd actually go through with it. And it's his own damned sorry fault. Would he ever listen to me? Hell no. Once he set his mind on something, there was no budging him, come hell or high water."

"That about sums him up, all right," Trev said.

"You need to think this through, boy."

"You don't think I have? By getting rid of the ranch, I'm getting rid of Hank's last hold on me. My mind's made up."

Leo shook his head. "You're more like your granddaddy than you think."

"Don't insult me." Trev didn't want to be like Hank in any way, shape or form.

"It's not an insult. Hank was a hard man, but he thought he was doin' right by you. In his own twisted way, he loved you."

A long time ago, Trev had wanted Hank's love. Now, he didn't care. "I don't believe that."

"Damn, I wish you'd known him before your mom and dad were killed." Leo paused and thought a minute. "No, Hank changed before that. He was a different man before your grandma died. He adored that woman. Broke his heart when she passed away."

"Well, he changed for the worse, didn't he?"

"That's for sure," Leo said.

A knock sounded on the door, then it creaked opened. Maggie peeked inside. "Hey, Leo."

"Come on in, little darlin'."

Smiling, Maggie walked in and closed the door behind her. "It's three o'clock."

Leo glanced at his watch. "You're right on time. I'll be with you in a sec."

Maggie nodded. "Hello, Trevor."

"Hey, Maggie. You finish with your project?"

"Heck, no. It's going to take a long time to sort all those books. Mommy's still there. But she'll take a break and be here soon. Leo gives me riding lessons on Sunday afternoons."

"I see." Trevor looked over at Leo. The old man had a goofy expression on his face. Obviously, Maggie had charmed him, just as she'd charmed Hank. Just as she'd charmed Trevor from the first moment they'd met.

The kid looked cute dressed in a red-plaid shirt, jeans and red boots. An old battered cowboy hat covered her golden curls, rigged with a ribbon that tied under her chin. Even so, the hat was too large and slipped low on her forehead. He'd know that hat anywhere. "Where'd you get the hat, Maggie?"

"It was Poppy's. Leo gave it to me. You know . . . something to remember him by."

Leo cleared his throat and stood. "Hank was mighty partial to this little lady."

"So I've been told," Trev said.

Maggie walked around the desk and took hold of Leo's hand. "Leo's my bestest friend now. 'Cause he's teaching me to ride like a real cowboy."

The old man cleared his throat again. "Well, I'm right honored to be your friend, missy. Now, you go on and I'll be out directly."

"Can I feed Thunder Two a sugar cube?"

"Sure thing. Tom's around somewhere. Ask him for a few cubes and a couple of carrots. But don't climb on his stall. Or any of the stalls. Understand?"

"I won't." Maggie hugged Leo's leg and dashed for the door. She stopped before opening it. "Want to watch me ride, Trevor?"

Her question surprised him. "You want me to?"

Maggie nodded and the large hat bobbed with the movement. "Yes. I'm pretty good."

"Then I'll be sure to watch."

The little girl beamed at him and disappeared into the stable.

"She's a pistol," Leo said with a smile.

"Yes, she is." Trev shoved back his chair and stood. "Did I hear her say _Thunder Two_?"

"Yes, sir. You heard right."

"Sired by Thunder? _My_ Thunder?"

"Yes, sir."

Trev shook his head. "Well, I'll be damned."

"Yeah, who would have thought? That colt was a scrawny little thing when you left for college. Downright amazing how well he turned out. One of the Rocking C's best studs ever."

"Hard to believe."

"Well, you never know, do you?" Leo adjusted his hat. "Look, I promised the little lady a trail ride today. Why don't you come along?"

"I haven't been on a horse since I left the ranch."

"Oh, come on now. I taught you to ride myself. It ain't something you forget. I'll take you around the place. We'll ride down by the creek. I want to show you something."

"Yeah? What would that be?"

"You'll have to come along to find out."

"I don't like the sound of that. You know how I hate surprises."

"That's tough, because this is goin' to surprise the hell out of you."

Leo didn't wait for a response, but marched out the office door. Trev slowly followed. He didn't know if he could stand any more surprises. Hell, hadn't he had enough for one day?

First, Beth and Maggie making themselves at home in Hank's house had taken him by surprise. Second, their impressions of Hank didn't jive with the stern man Trev had known. Third, and in no way the least, was Trev's strong attraction to the young mother. Pleasant, but unwelcome. And what about the kid and the strange feelings she stirred in his chest? Oh yeah, he'd had enough surprises today. He sure didn't need any more.

****

The sun blazed high in the blue West Texas sky. Maggie skipped alongside Trev and Leo as they led four horses from the stables. The red dirt crunched dry and dusty under Trev's boots. "How long since it's rained?" he asked.

"Too damn long." Leo tied the horses' reins to the fence and started to lift Maggie onto one. "Up you go, little darlin'."

"Wait! I want _him_ to help me and I want to use the mounting block this time." Maggie turned those baby blues Trev's way. "Please, Trevor?"

The little girl was an expert in the use of feminine wiles, he thought with amusement. Hell, Leo was bending over backwards for her. Trev bet she had all the ranch hands kneeling at her tiny booted feet. He had a funny feeling he was next on her list and there wasn't a damn thing he'd be able do about it.

"Honey, Trevor hasn't been near a horse in years," Leo said. "He can help you next time, okay?"

Maggie sighed a mournful sigh. "Okay."

_Aw, hell_.

He nudged Leo out of the way. "I'll help her."

"You sure, son?"

"You doubting my ability?"

Leo shook his head and grinned. "No way. Be my guest."

"Let's go, Maggie." Trev led the docile mare, perfect for a beginning horseman, to the mounting block. He tried to help the little girl mount, but she pushed his hands away.

"I can do it myself."

"You can?" Trev heard Leo's chuckle in the background and frowned at him over his shoulder.

"Sure, I can. Just watch."

"So why did you want my help?"

"To hold Firefly steady." Maggie stepped on the block and threw her leg over the saddle. She took the reins in competent little hands and straightened the hat on her head. "You can fix the stirrups, please."

Trev fought a smile. She sounded like a princess ordering one of her subjects. He adjusted the girth and the stirrups. "All set, kiddo."

"Thanks." Maggie bent low and patted Firefly's neck, then straightened in the saddle. "Now, go get on your horse and--hey, Mommy!"

"Hey, baby. Sorry I'm late."

The warm husky voice slid over Trev's back as he checked the stirrups one more time. He patted the horse's rump before turning to face Beth Evans.

"You're not late," Maggie said. "Trevor's helping me mount. Want him to help you?"

"Um . . . No, that's okay." Beth stopped in the middle of the barnyard, as if afraid to proceed further. "I don't need his help."

Trev gave Beth a quick once over. She'd changed clothes, too. Red-plaid shirt, jeans and red boots. Identical to her daughter's outfit. Only she didn't look cute like Maggie. Oh, no. Cute didn't begin to describe the way she looked.

The shirt emphasized her figure, hugging her breasts, tapering down to fit her narrow waist. The jeans molded the flare of her hips and made her long legs appear even longer. The red boots were sexy as hell.

"Trevor's going to ride with us," Maggie said. "Isn't that great?"

"Yeah, great," Beth said.

Trev didn't miss her lack of enthusiasm, and he wondered what was wrong. When she turned toward Leo and the horses, he swallowed a groan. Faded denim stretched tight across Beth's shapely rear end. The fabric outlined mouthwatering curves that made him want to cup the firm flesh with his hands. He wanted to touch her . . .

_Whoa, Callahan. You just met the woman_.

This flash-fire attraction was dangerous in more ways than one. They were going to be living together. What the hell had he been thinking?

She wasn't his type. Not his usual type, anyway, although, his body was fast convincing him otherwise.

Trev reined in his libido and mounted his horse. It felt good to be in the saddle again. All that power beneath him--man and beast. It had been too damn long.

"Maggie and I are going to take the lead," Leo said. "You and Beth bring up the rear."

"Gotcha." Trev maneuvered his horse next to Beth. "You ready?"

She nodded. A frown marred her freckled forehead, making Trev wonder again what was wrong.

They didn't say much as they rode through the pasture. Both of them listened to Leo give Maggie instructions on handling the horse. Trev took in the scenery, searching for familiar landmarks. On the left stood the lone cottonwood tree. It was majestic now, bigger and taller than he remembered. Up ahead, he saw the grove of mulberry trees, surrounded by mesquites and large clumps of prickly pear cactus. A warm wind rustled the leaves all around. Trev adjusted his butt in the saddle, an unfamiliar smile twitching at his lips. He was actually enjoying the ride.

After a little while, he became aware of Beth's steady gaze on him. Her frown was still pronounced. He'd been trying to ignore her, ignore her effect on his body, but he didn't want to be rude. "How old are you?" he asked suddenly.

Her eyes widened and the frown disappeared. Then she chuckled, a deep throaty sound that shot straight to his groin. He gripped the reins in tight fists.

"You should know better than to ask a woman her age," she said. "It's not very nice."

"I'm not nice." Right now, he felt anything but nice.

"That's the second time you've told me that. Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" Beth frowned again. "Or is that some kind of warning?"

"Maybe. Probably. You should be careful." They both should be careful.

"Should I?" She cocked her head and stared at him from beneath her hat. Her green eyes glowed like emeralds.

Trev decided they were skirting treacherous waters and changed the subject. "You get that hat from Hank?"

She shot him a look before answering. A strange look. An accusing look. "Yeah, Mags insisted we match perfectly."

"She always get her way?"

Beth shrugged. "Most times. I try to pick my battles. She's very strong-willed."

"As well as intelligent."

"Yes, Mags is extremely precocious," she said, gazing at her daughter riding up ahead.

"So, are you going to tell me how old you are?"

"What is it with--"

"Answer the question."

"I'm twenty-four."

"Damn, you were a little kid when I left Stone Creek."

"I didn't live here then," she said.

"And that makes a difference?"

"Of course, it makes a difference. It doesn't matter anyway, does it?" She almost smiled, but instead, looked away.

Disappointment hit Trev low in the gut. He wanted to see her smile. He liked her smile. Liked it too much.

"Have I done something to offend you?" The words were out of his mouth before he could think about it. He wanted to call them back, but it was too late.

She snapped her head toward him. Twin spots of color burned her cheeks. "No, you haven't offended me. I was thinking . . . wondering . . ."

Huh-oh. "Wondering what?"

She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. "Why did you leave Hank and never come back and see him again?"

Well hell. No wonder she was shooting poisonous looks his way. "Hank and I never got along. He didn't like me."

"That's not true. Hank loved you. He missed you."

"Look, the Hank you knew was apparently not the same Hank I knew."

"He was your grandfather. He was family."

"He didn't treat me like family." Hank had treated his horses a hell of a lot better than he'd ever treated Trev.

"He told me he was sorry--"

"Sorry doesn't cut it," Trev said. "Sorry can't erase the past. Hank treated me like dirt. As soon as I could, I left. End of story."

Silence hung awkwardly in the air.

Beth cleared her throat. "He must have hurt you pretty badly."

"Yeah, well. It was a long time ago. I don't want to discuss it."

"Okay," she said, sitting straight in the saddle. "So, tell me about your work, your life."

"I told you my life isn't exciting."

"I don't believe it."

"It's true. Eighteen-hour days at construction sites, too many nights in hotel rooms. Believe me, not exciting. Let's talk about you and Maggie instead."

She cut him a glance from under her hat. "Why do you want to know?"

"We're going to be living together, aren't we? I'd like to get to know about my roommate." In more ways than one.

Her blush deepened. "We're not living together. I'm your housekeeper, not roommate."

"Whatever." Trev shrugged. "Tell me about yourself. Or do you have something to hide?"

"No, there's not much to tell, that's all." She bit her lip, making Trev think maybe she did have a secret.

"Indulge me," he said.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I bet you're used to people indulging you."

"Of course. I'm waiting."

Beth let out a sigh that sounded remarkably like her daughter's. "Where do you want me to start?"

"How about when you came to live in Stone Creek?"

"Well, I told you Mags was still a baby when we moved here to be near my folks. I got the job driving the bookmobile part-time and I continued the commute to Lubbock to go to school. I'm still going, as a matter of fact."

"What's your major?"

She smiled and two dimples appeared. "Library science. What else?"

"I should have guessed." Damn, those dimples fascinated him. He had a sudden urge to reach over and dip a finger in each small indention. Or kiss one, then the other. _Oh, man._ "So, you go to school part-time, too?"

Beth shook her head. "I carry a full load. Two days a week of school and I work the other three. The semester will be over next week, thank goodness. Then I'll only have twelve more hours to complete my degree."

"Impressive."

"Necessary," she said. "I want Mags to have a good life. I don't want her suffering because I screwed up."

Trev glanced up ahead at Leo and Maggie. They'd put quite a bit of distance between Beth and himself. Even so, Trev could see Maggie sitting confidently in the saddle as she listened intently to Leo's directions. "Your daughter doesn't look like she's suffering. You're doing a good job."

"Thanks." Beth nodded toward Leo and Maggie. "We'd better catch up."

They increased their pace until they closed the distance.

"Sorry, we left y'all behind," Maggie said. "Leo was showing me how to trot. It's so cool. I can't wait to go faster."

"One step at a time," Beth said. "One step at a time."

"I know." Maggie sighed.

"Hey, boy!" Leo called to Trev. "Look over yonder." He pointed toward the creek.

Beth leaned in close. "Boy?" she asked softly. There was a twinkle in her eye. Much different than the looks from a little while ago. Her scent taunted him. Her smile beckoned.

He maneuvered his horse slightly away. "Leo's known me for a long time."

"Ah." Beth straightened in the saddle, a grin playing on her lips. Lips Trev wanted to taste.

Maggie giggled. "Trevor's not a boy, Leo. He's a man."

"He's still a boy to me, little darlin'. I've known Trevor since he wasn't much bigger than you."

"Really?" Maggie looked like she didn't believe the old man.

"Don't listen to him, Maggie," Trev said. "I was much bigger than you."

"Is that when you came to live with Poppy?" she asked.

"Yes, it was." He raised his hand to his forehead to block the sun and looked toward the creek. "What is it we're supposed to see?" he asked Leo.

The old man smiled and tipped back his Stetson. "It's your surprise."

"Oh, goodie," Maggie said. "I love surprises."

"I don't." Trev scanned the area behind the narrow creek trickling through the pasture. He looked right, then left, then started back again. He did a double take when he saw a big black horse. "It can't be . . ." He turned toward Leo.

"Cain't it?" The old man's smile grew larger. Like he was bestowing a gift.

Trev's chest burned and his stomach felt hollow. "Are you telling me that's Thunder?"

"I sure as hell am."

"Well, damn. Hank didn't get rid of him?"

"Get rid of who?" Maggie asked. "What are y'all talking about? I don't see anything."

"Lookie yonder. See that horse?" Leo said. "That horse owes his life to Trevor here."

"Really?" Maggie looked at Trevor with round eyes. "How? What happened?"

"I'll tell you what happened," Leo said. "A long time ago, before Trevor went away to college, there was this terrible storm. Lots of rain and thunder and lightnin'. Not a good day for a horse to be born."

"That horse?" Maggie pointed.

"That very one." Leo looked at Trevor. "You want to tell the story?"

"No, you're on a roll. Go ahead."

"Don't get smart with me," Leo said with a snort. "Anyhow, like I said, it was a stormy day. Hank went to Abilene with some calves to sell, having no idea Lady Luck was going to go into labor so quick."

"Lady Luck was Thunder's mother?" Maggie asked.

"Yes, ma'am. Pretty a mare as ever you did see. Now, this is a sad story, honey. But with a happy ending."

"Okay, as long as it ends happy." The little girl wiggled in her saddle. "Tell me!"

"Well now, Trevor was doing his evening chores, mucking out the stalls and putting out fresh hay. When he got to Lady Luck's stall, she was laying down and already strugglin'. It was too early for her to have her baby, so Trevor called the vet and fetched me from the office."

"What happened then?" Maggie asked.

"The storm got worse, that's what. Thunderheads built up and it started raining like crazy. The roads flooded and the vet couldn't get through. Lady Luck was having a difficult time, like I said. Real difficult. The colt was turned the wrong way. To make a long story, short--"

"Yes, please make it short," Trev said.

Leo frowned at him. "To make a long story, short," he repeated. "Me and Trevor had to pull the colt."

"What's that mean?" Maggie looked from Leo to Trevor.

"Well, now . . ." Leo's weathered skin reddened and he looked to Beth for assistance.

"It means they helped the baby be born," she said.

"And was Lady Luck okay?" Maggie asked.

"That's the sad part, honey," Leo said. "There were complications and Lady Luck didn't make it. But the good part is, the baby did. Now he was a puny little thing and Trevor here had to feed him a bottle. He named the colt Thunder and that's him yonder."

Trev tried not to squirm while Leo finished telling Maggie and Beth the story. Leo was making him sound like some kind of a damn hero. And he was nothing of the kind.

He remembered that day and that night. Hank had praised his quick thinking and assured him he'd done everything possible to save Lady Luck. After so many years, Trev had finally received Hank's approval. But it had been too little and come too late.

### CHAPTER THREE

Beth woke up early the next morning and headed for the kitchen. A nice big breakfast of eggs and bacon would start the week off right. She had every intention of being a good housekeeper and making Trevor's stay at the ranch run smoothly. Whatever she did, she did to the best of her ability.

Supper had been a little awkward the night before and Beth was determined to prevent that from happening again. If they were going to be sharing the house, they needed to feel comfortable around each other. _Okay, maybe not comfortable_. The sexual tension was too thick for that. But they were adults. They could handle it, ignore it. Besides, having sex with a stranger had never been one of Beth's fantasies.

Until now.

She'd spent a restless night filled with hot steamy dreams featuring Trevor Callahan as the star attraction. It hadn't mattered that he was a stranger. He made her feel alive in ways she'd almost forgotten existed. In her dreams and in real life.

The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee and crisp-fried bacon filled the kitchen. Between tasks, Beth glanced at the clock. Ten more minutes and it would be time to wake Mags, get her dressed and fed and on the bus. Then Beth could be on her way to school. It was exam week. _Oh joy._

She had a million things to do. She liked to keep busy, but this week she would be running at a frenzied pace, and she didn't like that. Busy was good. Stress and anxiety--not good.

Cracking eggs into a bowl, Beth decided to take it one day at a time. That's all she could handle. One day at a time.

She was putting the platter of bacon into the warming oven, when Trevor walked into the kitchen.

"Morning." He tossed a manila folder on the table, pulled out a chair and sank into it. His hair was damp from his shower and his face smooth and freshly shaved. His clean woodsy scent made every nerve ending in Beth's body start to thrum.

"Good morning." _Cheerful and calm_. She'd be cheerful and calm if it killed her. She poured him a cup of coffee. "Cream and sugar?"

"Black's fine." He accepted the cup from Beth, wrapping his long fingers around the ceramic. He lifted it to his nose and inhaled deeply, then took a long sip and sighed. "It's good and strong. Just the way I like it. Thanks."

Beth knew she was standing there with her mouth hanging open, but the man made drinking coffee a sensual experience. The action seemed so out of character for him. He seemed so controlled and . . .

"Something smells good," he said. "Bacon?"

Beth nodded. "Breakfast'll be ready in a minute. First, I have to go wake Mags or we'll be late."

"Hold on a second." He grabbed her wrist as she walked past, his fingers scorching her skin.

Ignore it, Beth. Ignore the man. Ignore everything.

"You need something?" she asked.

He let her go, but not before she saw awareness flare in his eyes. "Yeah, I need an office. Somewhere I can set up a fax machine and printer. A place to put my laptop so I can read my email, do some work. I would use the study, but you're busy in there."

Beth rubbed her wrist where the heat from his touch still lingered. "How about the dining room? Nobody's using it. We eat all our meals in the kitchen."

"Excellent. Is there a phone line?"

"I don't think so. Why?"

"For the fax machine and Internet access? Don't worry about it. I'll call my secretary. She'll take care of everything. I'll set up shop in the dining room and won't be in your way."

"Hey, you won't be in my way. This is your home, not mine."

Something flickered in his silver-gray eyes. Pain? Regret? "This was never my home. I'm selling the ranch, you know."

"Hank wouldn't want that." Beth didn't want him to sell it either.

"Too bad. I don't care what he wanted."

The man sitting before her was hurting. Beth steeled herself to stay put and not offer comfort. She was a nurturer--helping and comforting were what she did best. "Did he really treat you so badly?"

"Let's just say he made my life a living hell."

"Did he--"

"Look, I told you I don't want to discuss this. Not now, not ever. Go wake your daughter, then I'd like my breakfast." He dismissed her, picked up the folder and began reading.

Beth felt like saluting, but didn't. Turning on her heel, she headed for the door. Mr. Hotshot had certainly put her in her place. He'd been quick to remind her of her position. To remind her they came from different worlds. He was deliberately putting space between them, keeping her at arm's length.

Which was good, Beth told herself. It was better this way. She didn't want things to get complicated and messy. She should feel relieved that Trevor was taking the initiative and ignoring the sizzle. So why did she feel disappointed instead?

****

That afternoon, Trev sat in the attorney's office waiting for his appointment with Hank's lawyer. Hank's lawyer and Trev's former schoolmate and best friend. Small town. Small world.

He flipped through a magazine, the words and glossy photos blurred beneath his unfocused gaze. He'd known returning to Stone Creek would be painful. But he hadn't realized how much it would hurt staying at the ranch and sleeping in the house where he'd been raised.

He tossed the magazine aside. Living in such close quarters with Beth Evans was proving difficult, too. His libido was working overtime. Whenever they were in the same room he felt edgy. Hell, even when they were apart he could still smell her fragrance lingering in the air. Still see evidence of her presence everywhere he turned. She was young, beautiful, sexy. And he wanted her.

But Trev didn't do relationships. And Beth Evans was a relationship kind of woman. She was special. He couldn't give her what she deserved. His emotions had shut down when his parents had died. He had nothing to offer a woman. Or a child.

"Mr. Callahan?" said the secretary from across the room. "Mr. Jamail will see you now."

"Thanks." Trev stood quickly and pushed through the shiny oak doors into the lawyer's office.

"Trev, you old son of a gun! How the hell've you been?" Dave Jamail came around his desk with hand outstretched. He'd gained some weight, but it looked good on his tall frame. "It's been too damned long, buddy."

"Yeah, it has." Trev shook hands and the years fell away. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed Dave. He hadn't realized a lot of things.

His friend slapped him on the shoulder and motioned to a chair. "Have a seat."

Dave had lost a little of his dark wavy hair, but his brown eyes twinkled like always. They'd been opposite personality-wise, but had forged a bond the first day Trev had attended Stone Creek Elementary School. They'd been best buds up until the time Trev left.

Dave picked up a folder and opened it. "So, you've finally come to probate Hank's will. I've been trying to contact you, buddy. You're mighty hard to get hold of."

"I've been in Australia for the past year building a resort hotel in Sydney." Trying to come to grips with his grandfather's death and all the emotional baggage it had entailed.

"You couldn't answer e-mails or return phone calls?"

Trev shrugged. "I couldn't get away. And I didn't want to deal with it. But I'm here now."

"Have you decided what you're going to do?" Dave asked quietly, his brown eyes searching Trev's.

"I'm selling." Getting rid of the place would help him get rid of that baggage. If he kept saying it, maybe he'd start believing it.

Dave frowned at him over the folder in his hands. "Sure you want to do that?"

"You of all people should know how I feel about the place."

"I know, Trev. But that land's been in your family for generations. Hank sure wouldn't want you to sell it."

Why was everyone concerned with what Hank wanted? Hank was dead. Gone. Forever. "I don't want it."

Dave heaved a big sigh. "Suit yourself. I'll arrange a meeting with a realtor."

"Thanks. Can we read the will and get this over with?"

His friend shuffled the papers on his desk. "About the will--I have to tell you--you aren't the only beneficiary."

"What do you mean? I'm Hank's only living relative."

"I know, but he left specific instructions on how he wanted things handled. Hank knew he was dying."

_You should have been there_. Trev heard the unspoken words and saw accusation in Dave's eyes. "What kind of instructions?" he asked.

"Everyone named in the will must be present before I'm allowed to read it."

"Everyone? How many others are there?"

"Not that many. Just Bonita and Leo and--"

"Bonita's in Laredo." Trev was looking forward to seeing her. She'd been kind to him in the old days, and he'd missed her through the years. But not enough to come back.

"Yeah, I'm trying to get in touch with her," Dave said. "See if she can return as soon as possible."

"You do that. I'm only going to be here for two weeks. Maybe three. Not much time to get all this taken care of."

Dave picked up a pen and made some notes. "I'll get on it right away."

Trev glanced out the floor-to-ceiling windows, showcasing the buildings across the street and the clouds and sky above. "I'm glad Hank left something for Bonita and Leo in his will, though I should have expected it. He was always real big on duty and responsibility. He drummed it into my head often enough."

"Hank mellowed over the years you were gone, Trev."

"Yeah, right. Any more surprises in the will?"

Dave reshuffled the papers and Trev thought he hesitated a fraction too long. "A couple more people are mentioned."

"Really? Who?" Had Hank become philanthropic in his old age?

"Beth and Maggie Evans," he said. "They were pretty thick with your grandfather."

Beth hadn't mentioned anything about the will. Then again, conversation between them was stilted at best. "Does she know Hank named them in his will?"

"Maybe. I'm not sure," Dave said. "I was waiting for you to get here before contacting her. I'll give her a call and let her know what's going on."

"That's okay, I'll tell her."

Dave smiled. "That's right, she's staying at the ranch. That girl is something else. Always helping people. This latest project of hers--has she told you about it?"

"You mean cataloguing Hank's books?"

"Well, that has something to do with it. She's campaigning to get a new library built in Stone Creek. She has donation cans all over town. She hasn't hit you up for some cash yet?"

"No, Beth hasn't asked me for anything." And why was that? She knew he had money.

Dave chuckled. "She will. Sooner or later, she hits everyone up. Even has the old folks in the nursing home helping her." He looked at his watch. "I've got another client coming in. Listen, let's get together and drink a beer. Maybe eat dinner. I want to run an idea by you. I'm sure you've noticed the changes around Stone Creek."

"It would be hard not to," Trev said. "The town's turning into some sort of baby-boomer retreat."

"Well, we like to think of it as a resort community. Right up your alley. Why don't you meet me at the Stone Soup Cafe tomorrow around seven? I have a business proposition for you."

"I don't know, Dave."

"Aw, come on, buddy. For old time's sake." Dave stood and extended his hand.

Trev shook it. _What the hell._ "Sure, I'll be there."

He left Dave's office and stopped by the lumberyard to pick up a new screen door for the back porch, then the hardware store for some tools. At both checkout counters, he saw the decorated cans marked Library Fund. Again, he wondered why Beth hadn't mentioned it to him.

On the way out of town, he passed a big vacant lot with a huge sign proclaiming the future site of the Stone Creek Public Library. Trev shook his head. Beth Evans was a force to be reckoned with, or so it seemed.

He pulled off the pavement onto Hank's land and followed the dirt road up to the house. He cut the motor, climbed out of the truck and stared at the Stone Creek bookmobile parked under the big mulberry tree next to the house. The large delivery van was painted purple with pictures of books plastered all over the sides.

Beth stepped from the bookmobile and froze when she saw him. Their gazes caught and Trev was once again struck by her natural beauty. Today, she wore an outfit similar to yesterday's--a sleeveless blouse tucked into curve-hugging shorts. She'd left her hair loose and the silky mass flowed past her shoulders, halfway down her back. His fingers itched to bury themselves in the long copper waves.

"How'd your meeting go?" she asked, walking toward the house, her arms full of books.

"Fine." Trev opened the front door and held it for her. "I need to talk to you."

Beth paused on the threshold. "Oh? Sounds important."

"It is important." He stared down at her. She smelled delicious and looked even better. He wanted to take her by the shoulders and feel her lightly freckled skin beneath his hands. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her.

Beth's green eyes widened a bit, as if sensing his thoughts. She quickly moved on and he followed her to Hank's study.

"Could you make it fast?" She dropped the books on a nearby table. "I have to exchange these and run my route. I'm already late as it is." She turned to the shelves and began scanning titles.

Trev leaned on the doorframe and looked around the room. The antique roll-top desk still sat in the corner, flanked by the red leather swivel chair. Shelves of books lined three walls and a fireplace of native stone dominated the fourth. Two wing chairs sat invitingly, ready for relaxing and reading.

Only Trev had never been invited to relax and read in here. The only time he'd come to his grandfather's study was to be scolded and punished for his childish indiscretions.

Trev shook away thoughts of the past and focused his attention on the young woman gathering books for her bookmobile. "Did you know Hank named you and Maggie in his will?"

Beth felt the book she'd chosen slip from her grasp. It fell to the floor with a thud. Crouching down, she took her time retrieving it. How much should she reveal to Trevor Callahan? Should she lie and say she didn't know? No, she hated lies. She'd give only as much information as needed. Slowly, she straightened and turned toward him. "Hank said something about wanting to set up a trust fund for Mags. Did he?"

His gray eyes narrowed, like he suspected her of holding back. Which she was. It was necessary.

"I don't know," he said. "Dave can't read the will until Bonita returns. When did you say she'd be back?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe you could fly her home for a day or two. Then fly her back after the will is read."

"Why would I do that?"

"To help speed things along?" Beth bit her lip. Darn, she didn't want things to speed along. She needed time to gain Trevor's trust and cooperation.

"Great idea. I want to settle this as soon as possible." He stepped into the study. "Dave was right."

"About what?"

"You," he said softly.

Beth swallowed hard. She shivered and turned to the shelves again. Books, she needed to choose books for the bookmobile. She needed to get her mind off the man. A quick glance to the right told her he was standing close. Too close. She focused on the books. "What did Dave say about me?"

He leaned against the bookshelf, his aftershave teasing her senses.

Woodsy . . . Musky . . . Sexy . . .

The books, Beth. The books.

"He said you liked helping people."

Beth shrugged. "So? Don't make it sound like it's a sin. Yeah, I enjoy helping people. Don't you?"

"No."

"Never?" This definitely didn't bode well. She needed his help. Desperately.

"Rarely," he said. "And never out of the kindness of my heart."

"Only if you benefit from it?"

"Something like that. But on the other hand, I rarely ask for help either."

"That sounds like a sad way to live to me."

"Not really. It helped me survive living with Hank."

"But Hank--"

"I don't want to talk about my grandfather." He frowned. "Dave told me something else. Can I ask you a question?"

She moved down the row of books. "Can I stop you?"

He shook his head and almost smiled. Almost, but not quite. Beth wondered how she'd react if he broke out in a real smile. Her toes curled at the thought.

Trevor stepped closer. "Why didn't you tell me about your campaign for the new library?"

Beth lost hold of the books and juggled for balance. Trevor reached out and took them from her, brushing the underside of her breast with his hand. Her nipples tightened and her breath hitched.

He stepped away as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened and placed the books on the library table. Beth fought for air. Oh, man. She was in big trouble here.

"Dave says you hit everyone up for donations," he said. "Why didn't you ask me?"

She wanted a hell of a lot more from Trevor Callahan than a donation for the library fund. "Hey, we only just met, remember? I don't know you well enough yet. It doesn't matter anyway, you said you don't like to help people."

"Ask me, Beth," he said, his voice deep and low. He was standing close again. She could feel the heat from his body, and a corresponding heat building in her own. "Come on, ask me. You ask everyone else."

Did the man know what he was doing to her? Was he aware of what he was making her feel? _Oh yeah._ He was aware all right. He was staring at her mouth. Those gray eyes moved lower for a fraction of a second, rested on her breasts, then moved slowly back to her face again. The way her body responded, he might as well have touched her. Caressed her. Kissed her.

"Ask me," he said again.

Beth took a deep breath and moved away. "I have to get back to work. If you want to make a donation, fine. I'd appreciate it, but don't put yourself out or anything." Smooth, Beth. Antagonize the man, why don't you? That'll go a long way toward gaining his cooperation. "I mean, you said you don't like to help people--"

"Donating money to build a library is different than helping someone out personally."

"Really? I see." But she didn't. How could anyone not want to help someone in need? "I have to go. Spaghetti all right with you for dinner?" She picked up the books and headed for the door, stopped and turned around when he didn't answer.

He stood where she'd left him, frowning like the devil.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "You don't like spaghetti?"

"Spaghetti's fine. I'll see you tonight." Trevor didn't move. He just stood there, still frowning.

"Okay, then." Geez, the man frowned a lot. Beth wanted to go back and soothe the furrows from his brow, trace a finger over those strong lips and make him smile. She quickly scooted out the door and left temptation behind.

****

After work, Beth stopped by her mother's beauty shop to pick up Mags. Nancy Prescott was happy to watch her granddaughter after school.

"Honey, do you think it's a good idea to live in the same house with that man? I think you're asking for trouble." Nancy grabbed a broom and started sweeping. The Mane Event was closed for the day and it was time to go home.

"Mom, you know we're not really living together. Nothing's going to happen."

"How can you be sure? This situation has the potential to blow up in your face. And I don't want you to get hurt."

"Nothing's going to happen," Beth said again. Maybe if she kept repeating it, nothing would. Because she had the sinking suspicion her mother was right. Trevor Callahan spelled trouble with a capital T.

"Let me tell you," Nancy said, intent on sweeping every last strand of hair from under a chair. "Your father doesn't like this situation at all."

"That doesn't surprise me. Dad doesn't like to think of me as any older than Mags."

Nancy smiled. "It's difficult for him to realize his baby girl is a grown woman. A beautiful grown woman--"

"Mom, I'll be okay."

"How do you know that? You didn't date much in high school. You always had your nose in a book. And the first guy who came along in college--"

"I learned my lesson with Matt," Beth said quickly. "I won't let it happen again. I can't afford to let anything happen. I have Mags to consider now. And we're doing fine by ourselves." She looked across the shop at her daughter. Mags was kneeling at a low table in the reception area, busy coloring and drawing pictures. "We're doing just fine."

"If you say so, dear."

"I do. Don't worry." Beth turned to straighten the rack of handcrafted items made by the senior citizens to help with the library fund. She picked up the donation can and shook it. "Hey Mags, want to count the money today?"

"Sure!" Maggie came running and took the can.

"You know the drill, baby doll. Stack the bills and coins in piles and I'll help with the math."

"I know, I know." Maggie skipped back to the front of the shop and knelt at the table where she'd been coloring.

Yeah. She and Mags were doing okay. They didn't need Trevor Callahan spoiling everything, messing with their emotions. Messing with Beth's hormones. The only thing she needed from him was his cooperation if the library project was going to succeed. Beth just didn't know how to go about it.

"Mom, I need your advice about something."

"Sure. Hold this for me, will you?" Nancy handed her the dustpan. "What is it, honey?"

Beth crouched down while her mother swept. "Trevor is going to sell the ranch and I can't let that happen."

Nancy stopped sweeping. " _You_ can't let that happen? Why?"

Beth emptied the pan in the garbage, then glanced over her shoulder at Mags. "Let's go in the back."

Her mother nodded. In the utility room, Nancy put away the broom and dustpan. She leaned against the washing machine and crossed her arms. "You have my full attention now. So talk."

How to explain? The situation was complicated. Beth took a deep breath. "Hank promised me a million dollars for the library fund."

" _What_?" Nancy's arms dropped to her sides. "A million dollars! My goodness, that's a lot of money."

"Enough to cover most of the construction costs."

"How generous. I never would have thought--"

"There's a stipulation," Beth said. This was the complicated part.

"A stipulation? What kind of stipulation?"

"In order to get the money, I have to persuade Trevor not to sell the ranch."

Nancy looked thoughtful. "How odd. How did Hank know Trevor would sell? And why would he care?"

Beth sighed. She'd spent months wondering the same thing. "Hank loved the ranch and told me he didn't want it to pass out of the family. He figured Trevor would sell it because of what happened between them. I wish I knew exactly what that was. I thought Trevor had heartlessly abandoned his grandfather. But that was before I'd met him. Now I don't think it was as simple as that."

"Nothing is ever as simple as it seems," Nancy said. "We've both heard the gossip."

"Gossip isn't fact."

"True. Have you talked to Trevor about any of this?"

Beth shook her head. "His life with Hank is off-limits. He doesn't want to talk about his childhood."

"Can't you tell him the truth? Tell him about the bequest?"

Beth shook her head again. "Hank made me promise not to tell him. Another stipulation. I probably shouldn't have told you either, but I need your advice. You have to promise not to breathe a word of this to anyone. Not even Dad."

"I won't, honey. You've known about this for how long?"

"Hank told me a couple of months before he died. Right after he gave me his book collection."

"Why couldn't he leave the money to the library free and clear?"

"I don't know," Beth said. "It would have been a lot easier if he had. How can I change Trevor's mind? I've racked my brain and come up with zilch."

Nancy shrugged. "I don't see that there's much you can do. Maybe you could make his visit so pleasant, he'll decide the ranch isn't so bad and he'll want to keep it. That's not very helpful, but it's all I can think of at the moment."

Beth nodded. "I can try to do that, I guess."

"But be careful," Nancy said. "Don't make his visit _too_ pleasant. He's extremely good looking. Staying together like that . . . It's dangerous."

Beth knew it was dangerous. Boy, did she know. She would have to keep focused on the library, the books, all the fund-raising. She'd just keep focused on everything but Trevor Callahan. She could do it, she knew she could. _Hoped_ she could.

Beth hugged her mother and kissed her cheek. "I'll be careful, Mom. I promise."

### CHAPTER FOUR

Trev walked into the Stone Soup Cafe at seven on the dot Tuesday night. The bar and grill was another new addition to Stone Creek. The interior boasted a long bar constructed of native rock and walls of rustic oak. A brightly lit jukebox played a country-western ballad. The laid-back atmosphere hummed with quiet conversation, and the smell of burgers and fries lingered in the air.

Dave motioned to Trevor from a booth near a window. Trev pushed through the throng of people and slid in on the opposite side of the table from his old school friend.

"Glad you could make it," Dave said. "Right on time as usual. What can I get you? Beer? Wine?"

"Beer's fine." Trev looked around. "Nice place. Quite a step up from the old Hole in the Wall."

"The Hole's still going strong." Dave flagged a waitress, then turned back to Trev. "Say, have you eaten? They make a mean cheeseburger here. I was about to order one."

"Sounds good." Trev hadn't eaten all day. He'd been busy replacing the screen door on the back of the house and doing other repairs and chores, trying not to think about things all the while. Like his grandfather and what might have been. Like Beth and what he wanted to do with her, to her, but couldn't.

He hadn't seen her since early this morning when she'd left for work. She'd told him she'd be a little late tonight and wouldn't be cooking dinner. Trev's mind hadn't been able to grasp what Beth was saying, because his libido had kicked into overdrive.

Instead of the casual shirt and shorts he was accustomed to seeing her in, Beth had on a light green sundress that draped her lithe figure. The filmy fabric teased his imagination. Strappy sandals on bare feet revealed pink painted toenails. She'd looked fresh and gorgeous. He'd wanted to kiss her, taste her and run his fingers under that tantalizing dress.

The waitress walked up to the table and took their orders, then brought out the beers. Trev took a pull on his longneck, shook away thoughts of Beth and waited for Dave to speak.

"Guess you're wondering what this is all about," his friend said.

Trev set his beer down. "You said something about a business proposition?"

Dave nodded. "Have you had a chance to go out to Coyote Lake yet?"

"I drove around it yesterday. Impressive."

"Yeah. It's revitalized Stone Creek and the surrounding area. The town was dying, Trev. Kids were leaving after high school. Going to college, moving to the big city, not coming back. If the dam and lake hadn't been built, Stone Creek would have dwindled into a ghost town."

Trev traced the label on his beer bottle. "And now you and your fellow council members are making Stone Creek into a resort community?"

"That's right. And it's working. The population is steadily growing. Retiring baby-boomers wanting to get away from it all are moving in. We've revamped Main Street, put in an old-fashioned movie house--hell, we even have our own radio station. And you saw the landing strip. More like a small airport with all the big hangers and long runways. Business is starting to boom."

"So, what does this have to do with me?" Trev sure as hell didn't want to move back to Stone Creek. He really didn't want anything to do with the town. All he wanted was to get rid of the ranch and get back to his life. His busy, comfortable, lonely life. _Lonely?_ Where had that come from?

"Here you go, gentlemen," said the waitress, balancing a tray above her shoulder. "Two cheeseburger baskets and two more beers. Enjoy."

Dave didn't say anything for a minute. He salted his fries and squirted ketchup on them. Trev did the same, figuring his friend would broach the subject in his own good time. He didn't have long to wait.

"I've read the stories about you," Dave said around a bite of burger. "You've made it big, buddy."

"I've done all right."

"More than all right, I'd say. I was mad as hell when you left town all those years ago. Yeah, yeah--I was going off to college, too. But I always planned to come back and make my living and my home in Stone Creek. But you--I knew you were gone for good."

"Look, Dave--"

"Let me finish. I can't say I blame you. Hank treated you like crap. Anyway, that's all water under the bridge. Now that you _are_ back--"

"Only temporarily."

Dave ignored that. "Now that you're here . . . I want to make you an offer you can't refuse," he said in his best Don Corleone voice.

Trev rolled his eyes. "Coming on a little strong with _The Godfather_ bit, aren't you?"

Dave smiled and shrugged. "Hey, with a name like Jamail, what do you expect?"

"So what's this irresistible offer?" Trev bit into his burger and crunched a French fry.

"We want to build a luxury hotel on the lake. And we want Titan Enterprises to build it for us."

"I don't know--"

"Aw, come on, Trev. This is our biggest endeavor so far. We want the best. And the best is you and Titan."

"I'm flattered," Trev said.

Dave pointed a fry at him. "Hey, we've done our research. We formed a committee and flew to Vegas to look at the hotels you built out there. We liked what we saw. And you're hometown, Trev. I know it's small potatoes to you, but it would mean a lot to the community. Think about it, will you?"

Trev saw the eagerness and enthusiasm in Dave's eyes. An enthusiasm Trev hadn't felt in a long time. "Okay, I'll think about it."

"Thanks. It's really good to see you again. I'm glad you're back."

"I'm not here to stay," Trev warned him.

"Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean."

Trev felt his stomach take an unfamiliar dip. "Remember, I'm here to sell the ranch. I'm not staying."

"I know." Dave finished eating and glanced at his watch. "Listen, I hate to eat and run, but I need to get home to Gloria and the kids. You think about what we've talked about."

He stood and so did Trev.

"While you're here, why don't you come over and meet my family?" Dave said. "Eat dinner. You could bring Beth and Maggie. Gloria and Beth know each other. They're both room mothers for the kindergarten class at the elementary school."

"Beth's a room mother?" Besides going to school, driving the bookmobile, cataloguing Hank's books and heading up the library fund? Did the woman ever slow down for even a minute? She was eagerness and enthusiasm personified.

"Uh huh. Maggie and my Shana are in the same room together," Dave said. "So what do you say about dinner one night?"

"I'll have to get back to you on that." Trev didn't think for a second that he was going to Dave's with Beth and Maggie. Although the idea of going out with Beth tempted him. He quickly squelched it. Beth was a nice girl-- _girl_ being one of the key words here. He didn't want to hurt her. Or Maggie. Trev had never dated a woman with a child before. And he'd certainly never dated a woman twelve years younger than himself.

"Well, get back to me soon," Dave said. "I'd like to see you while you're in town. Catch up on old times." He picked up the ticket and threw several dollars on the table for the tip. "Get together for something other than business, you know? I've missed you, Callahan."

"Yeah, me too. I'll call you tomorrow." Trev followed him to the cashier. Next to the register stood one of Beth's decorated tin cans. A prime example of her ambitions and desires. Suddenly, he wanted to get back to the ranch. See if she was there yet. How late was she going to stay out? And what was she doing anyway? Who was she with? And more importantly, why did he care?

****

Beth adjusted her purse strap over her shoulder and headed for the cafe's exit, adrenalin coursing through her veins. Ah, the sweet high of victory. A rush of excitement flooded her system. Her meeting with the Chamber of Commerce couldn't have gone any better. All the members had agreed to support her latest fund-raiser for the new library, and had brainstormed over dinner on how to make it happen.

Approaching the cashier, Beth stopped short when she spotted Trevor Callahan. What was he doing at the Stone Soup Cafe?

Trevor turned toward her and his gray eyes widened in surprise. Then he leveled his gaze on her, and Beth couldn't mistake the look of appreciation and attraction coming her way. Quite a contrast to the cold distance he was trying to maintain out at the ranch.

Oh man. He made her feel things she'd never felt before. Her mother was right. Beth's experience with men was practically nil. And Trevor Callahan was way out of her league. In social status, wealth and sexual expertise.

Her adrenalin buzz sputtered and died. Beth gathered the fleeting edges of her courage, summoned a smile, and walked toward the two men at the counter. Head held high, she hoped she looked more confident than she felt. "Hey, Trevor. Hey, Dave."

The lawyer looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Hey yourself, Beth. I didn't see you when I came in. What're you up to? Got a new project underway?"

"As a matter of fact I do," Beth said. "I had a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce officers, back in the banquet room. They're still sitting there discussing my idea."

Dave stepped away from the counter. "And what is this idea of yours?"

Beth tried desperately to regain control of her fluttering heart. Her enthusiasm had taken a backseat to six-feet plus of ruggedly handsome male who happened to be sexy as hell.

"Beth? You all right?" Dave looked at her, amusement dancing in his eyes. "You gonna tell us about this brilliant idea of yours? I assume it has something to do with the library?"

She cleared her throat. "Naturally. No big surprise there, right? Anyway, I thought the Memorial Day Festival would be perfect for a fund-raiser. I racked my brain trying to think of something fun and unusual, and I did it. Ever heard of donkey basketball?"

Dave scratched his chin. "Can't say that I have. How about you, Trev?"

Beth looked at Trevor. He was staring at her. Good lord, was he staring at her. Her lungs nearly stopped functioning right then and there.

Trevor nodded to Dave. "Yeah, I saw something about donkeys and basketball on a late-night sitcom a few years back. They were showing one of those old newsreels from the forties and fifties."

"That's where I saw it too," Beth said. "It's kind of like wheelchair basketball. Except people ride on donkeys."

"And they have to be on their donkey to shoot and score," Trevor added.

"Exactly." A slow steady warmth spread deep inside Beth because for once Trevor sounded interested, almost animated.

"Sounds like fun," Dave said. He nudged Trevor with his elbow. "Didn't I tell you Beth is determined to get that new library built? She'll do anything and everything to get the money needed. She has a never-ending supply of energy and ideas."

"So I've noticed."

Beth swallowed hard. The way he was looking at her made her extremely aware that he'd noticed a whole lot more than just her energy and ideas.

"How are you going to make money with this donkey basketball?" Dave wanted to know. "How does it work?"

Beth broke eye contact with Trevor and focused on Dave Jamail. "I searched the Internet and there are actually companies that provide donkeys and everything you need for the event. I thought we'd charge two hundred dollars per person for the privilege to play. Then of course, we'll charge admission and sell concessions. Maybe even T-shirts. What do you think?"

"Sign me up as your first player," Dave said. "Sign Trev up, too."

Trevor frowned at him. "I don't think so."

Dave slapped him on the shoulder. "Trev here never was one for team athletics. He's always preferred golf and tennis."

She could see Trevor didn't want to play and she certainly didn't want him to feel pressured into anything. Because in the long run, Beth wanted a whole lot more from Trevor Callahan than two hundred dollars. "Dave, he doesn't have to--"

"But this is for a good cause. Right, buddy?" He slapped Trevor's shoulder again. "You'll be in town for Memorial Day. It's only two weeks away. Come on, Trev. How can you refuse this pretty lady?"

After a slight pause, Trevor said, "What the hell, sign me up."

"Are you sure?" Beth asked. Why had he suddenly changed his mind? He obviously didn't want to play donkey basketball. Maybe he thought it was beneath his dignity.

"I'm sure. So, your meeting's over? You're on your way back to the ranch?"

"I have to pick Mags up from Mom's first."

"I'll walk you to your car," Trevor said.

"There's no need." Beth started to back away. For some reason, she didn't want Trevor to touch her. Not here. Not in public. The way he was looking at her, Beth wasn't sure how she would respond. She'd probably melt into a limp puddle of hormones and embarrass herself.

Dave took her elbow. "We'll both walk you out. Got an idea of my own I want to run by you."

"You do?" Beth forced herself to concentrate on Dave, instead of the man walking close on her right. Trevor Callahan radiated a scorching heat that shot straight down to her toes.

"I invited Trev over for dinner and I want you and Maggie to come, too."

"Really? That sounds nice." Beth peeked sideways at Trevor. His black brows slanted in a frown. He obviously didn't think it was nice.

"I told you I'd get back to you on that," Trev said to Dave.

"Hey buddy, I'm not letting you leave town without coming over and meeting my family." Dave stopped near Beth's neon orange Jeep. "Did Trev tell you we were best friends in school?"

Trevor shook his head. "Dave--"

Beth couldn't identify the emotion in Trevor's voice. The man hid his feelings well. He had a lot of issues concerning his childhood. And maybe not all of them centered on his grandfather.

Beth fished in her purse for her keys. "Trevor and I haven't had much time to visit. We've both been busy." Busy trying to ignore the electricity sizzling between them. They didn't talk much, only when necessary. Like this morning. Neither had mentioned they would be dining at the Stone Soup Cafe. Then again, neither owed the other any kind of explanation concerning their whereabouts.

She finally found her keys in the bottom of her bag. "Nice seeing you, Dave. I really need to go get Mags. She runs circles around Mom."

Dave smiled. "Try to talk this fellow into coming and visiting his old friend, will you? Hope to see you both soon. And not just to read Hank's will, either." He shook Trevor's hand and waved to Beth before heading for his car.

The light was fading fast; it was past eight o'clock. There shouldn't have been any awkwardness, but it hung there between them. Or maybe it wasn't awkwardness. Beth's head buzzed and her knees nearly gave way when she saw the hot, hungry look in Trevor's eyes. She needed to get away before she did something foolish like throw herself in his arms and beg for a kiss.

Trevor opened the door of her jeep. "I'll see you back at the ranch."

She climbed in and shivered when she encountered that hungry look again. "Yeah, back at the ranch."

****

Two afternoons later, Beth sat on the floor of Hank's study with her laptop, poring over a spreadsheet, calculating the latest totals in the library fund. She'd had an exam earlier that morning and wasn't scheduled to work that day. Perfect for catching up on things.

A noise at the door jerked her away from her columns and figures. "Hey, Mags. What's up?"

"Aren't you finished yet, Mommy? You told me we could go fishing and have a picnic today." There was just the right amount of whine and sorrow in her little girl's voice to make Beth feel guilty. Oh, the joys of motherhood.

"Mags, I need to check these numbers. You know I have a lot going on right now. Why don't you work on sorting the books?"

"I'm tired of sorting books. I'm tired of working inside. The sun's shining and the fish will be biting. And I'm hungry for catfish. You _said_ we could go."

Beth glanced from the screen of her laptop to Mags, who stood dejectedly in the middle of the room holding two fishing poles. Her baby was growing up. She wouldn't always want to do things with her mother. And how would Beth feel then?

"All right, pumpkin. Go get the picnic blanket and I'll make sandwiches."

"Yippy!" Maggie ran from the room, banging the poles against the doorframe on her way out.

Beth closed the spreadsheet and saved the file. She could work the numbers and check the totals this evening. And she could use the quiet time at the pond to figure out a way to make Trevor change his mind about selling the ranch. So far, she didn't have a clue what she was going to do.

Twenty minutes later, Beth and Maggie were sitting on the pier, fishing poles in hand, lines submerged, basking in the warm May sunshine. The brilliant sky formed a blue dome as far as the eye could see. Billowy clouds floated above. Mesquite trees rustled in the breeze and a hawk soared overhead.

A perfect spring day. Life was good. Couldn't get much better than this. Mags sat close by on the edge of the pier wearing a bright orange life jacket, toes dangling in the water. She'd worn her bathing suit "just in case." She'd insisted Beth wear hers, too. Time to start on their summer tans, Mags had told her. Good grief, her daughter sounded like a Valley Girl. Beth smiled. Mags was something else--an interesting combination of maturity and childishness. Right now, she was happy as a lark watching her cork bob over the ripples in the pond. Her daughter loved to fish almost better than she loved to read.

Yeah, life was good. She and Mags had settled into a nice routine with Mags in school and Beth driving the bookmobile. It hadn't always been that way. But you'd never know it, looking at Mags today.

"Mommy! Mommy! I have a bite!" Maggie jumped up, pulled her rod to set the hook, then started reeling in the line.

"Slow down, baby. Don't want to lose him."

"I know, I know. Get the net, quick!"

Beth set her rod down and grabbed the dip net. "Easy now. Give him a little slack. You need help?" She stood by Mags and watched the fish fight and splash the water.

"No, I've got him." Mags grunted with the effort of pulling in the line. "Man, he's huge!"

"A monster for sure," Beth said, ready with the net.

"Mommy, look! Your cork's gone down! You've got a bite, too."

Beth's rod jerked forward. She dropped the net and lunged for her pole, barely catching it before it slid over the edge of the pier and into the pond.

"Mommy! Help me!" Maggie reared back tugging hard, her little hands turning the reel.

"Hang on, baby." Beth had her hands full with her own rod and reel.

"I can't hang on!" Maggie sounded panicky. "I'm going to lose my fish."

"Hold on tight, Maggie. I'm coming," a deep voice boomed from the edge of the pond.

"Trevor! Oh, Trevor! Please help me!" Maggie called.

Beth looked over her shoulder as Trevor stepped onto the pier, his cowboy boots thumping solidly on the wooden planks, his weight tilting the floating platform. Relief and a tingling sensation skittered down her backbone when he closed the distance between them.

"What are you doing out here?" Beth asked, dragging her eyes away from his gorgeous body. No one should look that good in faded denim, a sweaty T-shirt and black Stetson.

"I was walking and heard voices. Thought I'd come see what all the fuss was about. Haven't been out this way since I've been back. This pier looks new."

"Hank had it built before he died."

"Trevor, help!" Maggie called again.

"I'm coming." He stooped to pick up the dip net and shot Beth a glance, eyeing her bikini with an arched brow. Suddenly, Beth felt naked, hot and exposed. Why had she let Mags talk her into wearing her swimsuit? Her line tightened and the reel buzzed. The fiberglass rod bowed under the weight of the fish on her hook forcing her concentration back to the water.

"You got things under control there?" Trevor asked her.

_Not really_. "Of course. Go help Mags."

He turned away, but not before Beth saw the awareness flash in his gray eyes, turning them silver. Oh, lord.

"Trevor! I need the net _now_ ," Maggie cried.

"Coming right up." He held the net just as Maggie pulled in her catch.

Trevor scooped and lifted the struggling catfish from the water. "He's a beauty. Must weigh at least five pounds. I'm impressed. Where'd you learn to fish like that?"

"Poppy taught me."

"Hank taught you to fish?" he asked with a frown.

"Yeah, last year when I was four." Maggie set down her pole and looked at the wriggling fish in the net. "Mommy'll have to take the hook out. I can't do it yet. Why do you call your grandpa by his first name?"

"Mags! I could use some help here," Beth said hurriedly. She was going to have to talk to her little girl about asking personal questions all the time. Although, Beth would like to know the answer to that particular question, too.

"Hurry, Trevor." Maggie picked up a white plastic bucket and held it up to him. "Here, fill this with water."

"Yes, ma'am." He crouched low and dipped the bucket in the pond. "I suppose we put the fish in now?"

"Yes, silly. Don't you know?"

"Nope. I don't fish."

"Poppy didn't teach you when you were a little boy?"

Beth cringed at Maggie's question. Trevor's hesitation and tension was almost palpable in the warm spring air.

"I'm afraid not," he said.

"I'll teach you if you want."

Beth held her breath waiting for Trevor's reply. So far, he'd treated Mags pretty well. But he wasn't used to children. And this was probably a sore spot with him.

"All right. I'd like that."

"Great," Maggie said. "First, you have to--"

"Hello?" Beth said, still battling her fish. "I need the net over here."

"Trevor, Mommy needs you."

Beth swallowed hard when those silver eyes locked on her.

"The net, Trevor! What's the matter with you guys?" Maggie asked. "Mommy's going to lose her fish. Sheesh. I really am going to have to teach you about fishing, aren't I?"

Trev dumped Maggie's fish, still attached to her line, into the bucket. When he turned to Beth, he nearly dropped the net. The half-naked woman stood on the edge of the pier, legs braced, arms taut as she fought the fish on her line. She was every man's fantasy come to life. Or maybe, she was just his fantasy.

The tiny yellow-striped bikini barely covered her enticing curves. The bottom piece rode low on her hips, emphasizing her flat stomach and long shapely legs. The top tenderly cupped her pretty breasts. Trev gripped the handle of the net tightly.

When Beth lunged forward with the movement of the fish, he caught a hint of nipple as the bikini bra gaped open. His blood pounded in his throat.

"What are you waiting for?" Maggie said. "Mommy _needs_ you, Trevor!"

He wished. What he needed was to harness his libido and get it under control. He was thinking way too many erotic thoughts about Beth.

"The net, Trevor! The net!" Maggie rushed to her mother's side and grabbed hold of the rod to help pull in the fish.

"Thanks, baby."

Trevor stood close by while mother and daughter struggled to haul in a nice-sized catfish. Beth smelled like strawberries and coconut, shampoo and sun block. Her long curly hair was caught up in a ponytail on top of her head. When she bent to drop the fish in the net he was holding, the silky mane brushed the tops of Trev's arms and heat rushed to his groin. _Oh man._

Beth and Maggie squatted around the net and he crouched low so they could all look at the fish.

"Yours is bigger than mine," Maggie said.

"Yes, but you helped pull him in. I would have lost him without you."

"So we both caught it."

"Together," Beth said with a smile.

"Yeah. We make a good team, don't we, Mommy?"

Beth hugged her little girl. "A most excellent team, baby."

Maggie stood up and looped her arm around Trev's neck. "Trevor helped, too."

Aw, hell.

He caught Beth's green eyes on him and her daughter. Not for the first time, he wondered what it would feel like to belong to a family. His memories of his parents were dim, but he remembered the happiness, contentment and security. He hadn't felt that in a long time.

"Yes, Trevor helped, too." Beth's voice was soft and warm, matching the look in her eyes.

Maggie moved away from Trev, placing her little hands on her knees and stooping over the net. "Get the hook out, Mommy, so I can teach Trevor how to catch his own fish."

Carefully, Beth grasped one fish behind the fins. It wiggled and squirmed as she tried to remove the hook from its mouth. It gave a powerful jerk, and she lost hold, stumbling backwards.

"Watch out!" Trevor dropped the net and caught her against him. For one long moment, his arms were filled with soft warm woman. Her white skin, dusted with light freckles, felt smooth under his callused fingers. Her bare body was jammed flush against his groin. Desire slammed into him. She turned her head a fraction of an inch until their mouths were only millimeters apart.

Beth looked at his lips and her eyes flew to his. She tried to stand, but his hands held her tight for one moment longer. She felt good in his arms. Really good. He didn't want to let go. But he had to and helped her to her feet. "You okay?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"Mommy, the hook's still in its mouth."

"Here, I'll do it." Trev bent down next to Maggie.

"Do you know how?" the little girl asked.

"It can't be that hard." He looked at the flopping fish. If Beth could hold that sucker with her slender fingers, surely he could, too.

"It can be tricky with a catfish," Beth said, squatting next to him. "Here, I'll show you." She slowly wrapped her hand below the head and pulled out the hook. "Watch out for the fins. They're sharp."

She dropped the fish in the bucket and grabbed Maggie's fish, still on the line and still wriggling. "You want to take a stab at it?"

Trev wanted to stab something and it wasn't the fish. "Sure, I'll give it a try."

"Be careful, Trevor," Maggie said, eyes wide.

He gingerly took hold of the fish and after several abortive attempts, finally managed to extract the hook.

"You did it!" Maggie hopped up and down, clapping her hands.

"Just like a pro," Beth said with a smile that nearly blinded him.

"I wouldn't say that." Trev dropped the catfish back into the bucket, absurdly pleased with himself and their compliments.

"I'm hot," Maggie said. "Can I swim?"

"I thought you were going to show Trevor how to fish."

"After I cool off. Swim with me, please?"

"I don't think so, baby." Beth grabbed a large T-shirt.

"Don't put that on," Maggie cried. "Let's go swimming. Aren't you hot?"

Beth shot a look at Trevor, pink staining her cheeks. Oh, yeah. She was hot, he thought. And adorable. He winked at her. The blush deepened.

"Come on, Mommy. Please?"

"Okay." She dropped the shirt. "Just for a little while. Then we'll eat."

"Can Trevor eat our picnic lunch with us?"

Beth turned to him, her brow raised in question.

"Tuna again?" he asked.

She lifted her chin. "No, we have bologna today."

Damn, she was cute. "Even better."

She smiled and turned away. "Okay, Mags. Last one in the water is a rotten egg."

Beth ran to the edge of the pier, threw Trev a wicked look, then tucked her arms around her knees and cannonballed into the water. Maggie giggled and followed her in.

They came up sputtering and splashing. "Mags! It's freezing!"

"No, it isn't. It feels great. You should've worn a bathing suit, Trevor," Maggie called from the water. "You look hot."

He felt hot. And not just from the sun. "Maybe next time."

Trev spent the rest of the afternoon learning how to fish, tutored by the kid. He shared their picnic lunch and watched Maggie swim again. And tried not to stare at her beautiful mother. Even after Beth slipped the T-shirt over her swimsuit, Trev had a hard time keeping his eyes from straying her way. She was getting under his skin; that was for sure. He wondered what, if anything, he was going to do about it.

### CHAPTER FIVE

"Maggie, what are you doing down here?" Trev stood in the dimly lit kitchen. It was past eleven. The kid should be asleep. She and her mother had gone upstairs hours ago. He'd heard bath water running and the quiet hush of voices getting ready for the night. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"I got hungry. Fishing and swimming does that to me." The little girl sat at the table, intent on constructing some kind of sandwich. The bread bag gaped open, a plastic leftover container perched precariously on the edge of the table and milk dripped on the floor.

Trev opened the fridge and grabbed a beer. He looked over his shoulder at Maggie, changed his mind and snagged a grape soda instead. "Don't tell me that's a spaghetti sandwich you're making." He sat down, pushed the leftover container toward the center of the table and blotted the milk with a napkin. The kid was messy. Cute, but messy.

Maggie nodded. "My favorite. Besides peanut butter and pickles, that is."

"Peanut butter and pickles?" He popped the top of the soda can. "I don't want to know."

"It sounds weird, but it's delicious. You should try it."

"I think I'll pass."

Maggie shrugged. "Don't know what you're missing till you've tried it." She lifted her spaghetti sandwich toward him. "Wanna bite? It's good."

"No, you go right ahead." He took a drink of soda. The house was quiet, the hum of the refrigerator the only sound in the kitchen. Plus the kid smacking on her sandwich.

"Mommy says you're going to sell Poppy's ranch. Are you?"

"That's the reason I came back." The only reason. Twenty years ago when he left Stone Creek, he'd promised himself never to set foot in this place again. At seventeen, Trev hadn't counted on his grandfather dying. Hadn't counted on having to settle the old man's estate. Hadn't counted on ever coming back.

"You can't sell the ranch," Maggie said. "I don't want you to. Poppy wouldn't like it if you sold his ranch."

"Well, he's not here anymore." Thank goodness. Trev tossed back another swig of soda.

"I bet he's looking down from heaven." Maggie chewed her food thoughtfully, then raised those big blue eyes at Trevor. "You think he's looking down from heaven?"

Trev swallowed wrong and choked. He sure as hell didn't think the old man was in heaven. But he couldn't say that to this innocent little girl.

Maggie hopped down from her chair and pounded him on the back. "Lift your arms! That's what Mommy says when I get choked. Lift your arms high!" She pounded some more.

"Thanks. I'm better now."

Maggie climbed back on her chair. "You don't like to talk about Poppy much. Why?" She crammed the last of her sandwich in her mouth and stared at him as she chewed.

Christ, he didn't need this. "Don't you think it's time to go back to bed?"

She wiped her mouth on a napkin. "I guess. Will you give me a piggyback ride? _Please_?"

"Will you quit asking so many questions?" The kid was adorable. Just like her mother. Only different. Way different. Images of Beth in her barely-there bikini still made him hard. He couldn't quit thinking about her in that bathing suit.

Maggie scrunched her button nose at him. "Are you 'gotiating with me?"

Trev shook away the images of Maggie's sexy mother in his overheated brain. "You could say that."

"You don't want to talk about Poppy, do you?"

_Aw, hell_. "No, I don't."

"Why not?" She plopped her elbows on the table, cupped her chin with her hands and settled in for a heart-to-heart talk. Something Trev sure didn't want to take part in. Especially with a five-year-old kid.

"Talking about Hank makes me sad," he said. And angry. Confused. Guilty as sin.

"Oh," she reached out and patted his arm. "Okay, no more questions. And I won't ask why you call him Hank. I don't want you to be sad. I'm ready for that piggyback ride now."

"We need to clean up your mess first." The touch of Maggie's sticky little hand on his arm squeezed something tight around Trev's chest. He needed to be careful here. Careful around her mother, too.

Maggie sighed. "I hate cleaning up messes. 'Specially mine. Will you do it for me? Pretty please with sugar on top?"

"You want that piggyback ride?"

She frowned. "We 'gotiating again?"

"Yes."

She picked up her plate and took it to the sink, while Trev cleared off the rest of the table.

"You got any kids?" she asked.

"No, why?" He put the spaghetti back in the fridge and wondered where she was heading now. Maggie's conversations tended to twist and turn with alarming frequency.

"'Cause you'd make a good daddy. What with knowing how to 'gotiate and all."

The band squeezed tighter around his chest. Trev had never thought about children. Probably because he never thought about getting married.

He felt a tug on his T-shirt and looked down. Maggie smiled at him. "Can I have that piggyback ride now?"

"Sure thing." He'd never given a child a piggyback ride that he could remember. How to go about it? He crouched down to the little girl's level. "Hop on, kiddo."

Maggie jumped on his back and looped her tiny arms around his neck. She tried to wrap her legs around his waist, and Trev reached behind and secured her with his hands.

"Ready?" he asked over his shoulder. The little girl smelled like fresh soap and sunshine, with a hint of spaghetti thrown in. She was soft and warm, her arms hugging him trustingly. The band tightened more painfully around his chest.

Maggie giggled and rocked against him. "Giddy-up, horsey."

"Hold on then." He adjusted her weight, flipped off the lights and took off down the hall.

She shrieked with delight.

"Shhh. Don't want to wake your mom."

"Oh, right," she whispered.

They turned the corner and started up the flight of stairs.

"Faster! Go fast!" Maggie said softly in his ear.

Trev took the stairs two at a time, felt the little girl bury her mouth in his shoulder to stifle her giggles. Something warm burned near his cold heart.

He hurried to her bedroom and deposited her on the bed. Maggie scrambled off, grabbed a book and thrust it at him.

"Read me a story. Pretty please?"

The kid was a charmer. An accomplished manipulator, too. "I thought you could read yourself."

"I can, but it's not the same."

"It's late--"

"I'm not sleepy." Maggie pushed the book at him. "Pretty please?"

Trev looked down at the blond angel with the beseeching blue eyes. Damn. He was putty in her sticky little hands. Where the hell was his backbone? Taken a hike where this five-year-old kid was concerned, that was for sure.

"Pretty, pretty please, Trevor?"

He took the book from her and tried to look stern. "One story. Only one, then it's lights out and no fussing. Promise me."

Maggie blinked at him. "Wow, you're good at 'gotiating. Too good. I promise to go to sleep after the story." She climbed into bed, hauled the covers over her pink pajamas and smiled at him. "Could you hand me Mr. Bigs, please?"

"Mr. Bigs?"

"My stuffed bunny. He's on the floor. I like to sleep with him."

Trev picked up the bedraggled rabbit with long floppy ears and handed it to Maggie, then he sat by the bed and began reading a story about a lost baby turtle. Who would believe Trevor Callahan--owner of Titan Enterprises, a company respected all over the world, a man who never budged at the bargaining table--who would believe he'd been brought to his knees by a five-year-old kid? He hoped like hell no one ever found out.

"Margaret Lynn! What's going on here? Why aren't you asleep?"

_Aw, hell. Someone had found out_. Trev lowered the book and looked toward the door. The someone was dressed in a skimpy nightshirt with tousled hair and sleepy green eyes.

Maggie slinked lower under the bedcovers. "Huh oh. Busted."

His thoughts exactly. Well, not exactly. His thoughts were running south with a vengeance. The woman was sexy as all get out.

Beth stepped into the room, looking from Trevor to her daughter, then back to Trevor.

He stood and laid the book on the chair. "I found her in the kitchen eating a midnight snack."

"Yeah, Mommy. Then he piggybacked me up the stairs and I promised to go right to sleep after he reads me a story."

Beth's eyes widened in surprise.

"I know," he said. "I can't believe it either."

"Can he finish the story?" Maggie asked.

"Absolutely not. It's way past your bedtime, young lady." Beth hurried to the bed and tucked Maggie in. She bent to kiss her daughter.

"I want a hug!" Maggie said.

Beth gathered the little girl in her arms, but Maggie squirmed away. "Not from you. I want a hug from him." She pointed to Trevor.

Beth raised startled eyes at him, then looked back at her daughter. "Mags, I don't think--"

"Please, Trevor?" She lifted her arms wide.

How could he resist? He was heading into uncharted territory and it scared the hell out of him. Beth stood by the bed, her gaze locked on him. What did she think he was going to do? Reject her daughter? Hurt the little kid? He was bad, but not that bad.

"You betcha, kiddo." Trev moved beside Beth, catching a whiff of her scent that rocketed him into a totally familiar, yet different territory. Oh, yeah. He was bad. Bending down, he hugged the little girl, felt the tiny arms wrap around his neck. "See you in the morning. Sleep tight--"

"Don't let the bedbugs bite." Maggie finished the nighttime saying. She pulled back and frowned. "What 'zactly is a bedbug?"

Beth tucked the sheet around her. "Mags, I'll explain tomorrow. It's time to go to sleep now."

Trev left the room, but lingered in the hall. He still had a clear view of Maggie and her mom. The scene brought back memories of his own mother. Those faded memories of happier times as a child had been buried deep down, almost obliterated by the harsh reality of living with his grandfather.

He watched Beth kiss her daughter and turn off the lights. She backed out of the room and closed the door. When she turned around, she bumped into Trevor.

"Sorry," she said softly as he caught her. Beth's shoulders felt firm and warm beneath the oversized T-shirt. He could see her nipples thrusting against the thin fabric. For the second time that day, Trev tightened his grip on soft woman-flesh before he released his hold.

Beth stepped away and brushed her hair from her face. "Thanks for looking after Mags," she said in a hushed voice. "I know you didn't expect to baby-sit a five-year-old when you asked us to stay here." She bit her lower lip. Trev wanted to bite and suck that luscious lip himself.

He cleared his throat. "Hey, no problem. I like Maggie. She's a neat kid." Who had a neat mother. Although, Beth didn't look too neat right now. She looked rumpled and sleepy, and Trev wanted to push her against the wall, run his fingers through all that wild hair and kiss her until she whimpered with need.

What the hell was the matter with him? He had nothing to offer a woman like Beth except a good time in bed. She was too fresh and innocent and honest for the likes of him.

Beth moistened her tongue over her lips. Trev's gut clenched. She was killing him. "Well," she cleared her throat. "I'll go back to bed now." Her husky voice floated over him like a caress.

_I'll go with you_. "See you in the morning," he said.

She nodded and walked down the hall to her room. At the door, Beth looked back at him and smiled a shy smile.

Aw, hell!

****

Late Friday afternoon, Beth answered the front door to a woman in a business suit holding a briefcase. What in the world?

"Hello, I'm here to see a Mr. Trevor Callahan."

Beth opened the screen door and stepped out on the porch. "Beth Evans." She stuck out her hand, wondering what this woman wanted with Trevor. This beautiful, sophisticated, older woman. Beth recognized the sting of jealousy and envy. Good grief.

"Angela Dreumont," said the woman, taking Beth's hand in a quick business-like shake. "I'm a realtor. I have an appointment with Mr. Callahan."

The realtor. Beth took a deep breath. "He's not here right now. He had to run to town, but he should be back any minute."

"All right. I'll take a look around the place, if that's okay?"

No, it wasn't okay. "Sure." Beth had no intention of letting Trevor sell the ranch. She didn't know yet how she was going to prevent him from doing it, but something would come to her.

The crunch of tires on gravel made both women turn toward the road. Trevor's truck barreled to a stop in front of the house. He climbed out and Beth's breath stalled in her lungs.

The man looked good. Too good, with those long muscled legs encased in faded black denim and broad shoulders stretching the seams of a black polo shirt. Boots, aviator sunglasses and a Stetson completed the picture. A picture that gave Beth heart palpitations.

Trevor stepped onto the front porch and pulled off his sunglasses. "Sorry I'm late," he said to the realtor.

"No problem, Mr. Callahan. I haven't been waiting long. I was telling Ms. Evans I want to look around the property. Take some measurements of the house. See what needs to be done to enhance the salability of the place."

"Excellent. I'll give you the tour." Trevor handed Beth a plastic grocery bag. "I found asparagus, but no portabellas. Regular mushrooms will have to do."

"Thanks. I'll let you two get on with your business." Beth went back in the house and put the produce in the fridge. Trevor had offered to make dinner tonight, to help celebrate the end of school and exam week. His offer had surprised her, especially since he'd said he never offered to help anyone unless there was something in it for him.

Beth narrowed her eyes as she closed the refrigerator door. She hoped Trevor didn't expect some kind of payback or favor for cooking dinner. Did he think something was in it for him? Did she want there to be?

Whenever they were together, the air crackled and hummed. Beth felt like she was playing with fire. Something about Trevor called to her. His childhood with his grandfather had marked him. He was a tortured soul, and Beth wanted to help him.

Beth decided to tag along on the tour. Maybe she could pick up some information that would help her keep Trevor from selling the ranch. It had absolutely nothing to do with the gorgeous woman making goo-goo eyes at Trevor. Nothing at all. Although she didn't like the way Angela Dreumont had licked her ruby red lips at Trevor a minute ago.

When Beth joined them in the yard, Trevor raised a brow but didn't say a word.

Angela hesitated a moment, threw Beth an assessing look, then resumed her spiel. "The soffits need replacing. A coat of paint would help, too."

Trevor frowned. "I can't understand why Hank let the outside of the house run down like this. He spared no expense on the inside. And it's not like he didn't have the money to hire help."

Beth spoke up. "He was planning to continue the renovations, but fell sick. He had that stroke, you know. The house sank to the bottom of his priority list. He focused all his energy on his rehabilitation."

The furrows between Trevor's brows deepened. "Hank had a stroke? When?"

"Six months before he passed away."

"I didn't know."

"Well, he did," Beth said.

Angela cleared her throat. "Shall we take a look at the barns and outbuildings?"

Trevor nodded and led the way. "How long before I can expect to find a buyer for the place?"

"Not long. In the past few years, Stone Creek has been building and drawing people in. With the property so close to town, you shouldn't have any trouble selling. Land is needed for new houses for the resort community. Or someone might want to open a deer lease or dude ranch, cash in on the resort theme. Two thousand acres in this prime location will go fast and at a premium price."

"Dude ranch?" Beth asked. "New houses like in a neighborhood? Hank would turn over in his grave if something like that happened to the ranch." Smooth Beth, real smooth. Trevor wouldn't care about his grandfather's feelings.

Trevor turned to her. "Don't you have books to sort? Don't you need to check on Maggie?"

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" she asked sweetly.

Something in his eyes made Beth's blood hum in her veins.

"How perceptive of you," he said.

The back door slammed and Maggie ran toward them.

"Hey, what are y'all doing out here?" she asked. "And who is she?" Maggie stared at the realtor.

Beth took hold of her daughter's hand. "She's going to help Trevor sell the ranch."

Maggie jerked away and scowled. She stomped a foot in the dirt. "I don't want him to sell the ranch!"

"Mags."

"Please don't sell the ranch, Trevor." Maggie scrunched her face, her bottom lip quivering. "Pretty please?"

The look on Trevor's handsome face nearly broke Beth's heart. The man might claim he had no feelings, but he felt something for Maggie. He was obviously torn by both her plea and his need to get rid of the ranch and its memories of his grandfather.

"I'm sorry," Beth said. "This isn't really any of our business." She picked up her daughter and carried her back to the house, Maggie crying and squirming all the way. "Mags, hush."

"He can't sell the ranch! He can't!"

"Yes, baby. He can. It's his and he can do anything he wants with it." Beth glanced over her shoulder. Trevor stood staring after them. Angela said something and he nodded. One more look their way and he led the realtor to the barn.

For the first time since Hank had promised the money for the library, Beth had real doubts about influencing Trevor's decision concerning the ranch. She'd had doubts before, but always thought she'd think of a way. But what could she possibly do to convince him to keep it? He was a shrewd businessman, the CEO of a thriving international construction company. She didn't have a snowflake's chance in hell of changing his mind. How could she have ever thought otherwise?

****

Trevor chopped mushrooms with a vengeance. He set them in a bowl next to the diced onions and garlic. He rarely cooked, rarely had the time and with a well-paid staff, there really wasn't a need. He enjoyed cooking though. It soothed and relaxed him. Relieved stress and worries. Gave him time to think. Or not.

Man, was he thinking now. Thinking about what a mess everything was. He'd come to Stone Creek to get rid of the Rocking C Ranch and exorcise the last hold his grandfather held over him. Simple, right?

Wrong. So wrong.

Trev hadn't counted on Beth or her daughter interfering with things. Somehow they confused the issue. With them staying at the ranch, he was seeing it differently. Seeing himself differently. Wanting things differently.

But that was nonsense. His life was exactly the way he wanted it. He didn't need the ranch. Didn't want the ranch.

Trev mixed chicken broth and vermouth in a Pyrex bowl, stuck it in the microwave and zapped it. He dribbled olive oil in a saucepan, added the onions and garlic and stirred until they sizzled. He dumped a cup of rice in the pan, added the broth, and let it simmer.

So why all of a sudden did it feel wrong to sell the ranch? Couldn't have something to do with Beth and Maggie, could it?

The kid was mad at him. She hadn't talked to him since her mother had carried her screaming and crying into the house, leaving Trev with Angela. The barracuda. The realtor had come on to him the second they were alone. He was used to women coming on to him. It usually worked to his advantage. But not today. Today, it had annoyed him. All he could think about was getting rid of Angela and rejoining Beth in the house.

Trev stirred the rice mixture and added more broth. He wanted Beth. What red-blooded male wouldn't? And Trev usually took what he wanted. From life. From women. But Beth was different. He wanted her in the physical sense--desired her, lusted for her--but there was more to it than that. He didn't want it to be more. Loving someone meant caring. He didn't want to care.

Trev grabbed the asparagus from the fridge and washed it at the sink, snapping off the tough ends from the tender shoots.

"Mmmm. Something smells good," Beth said from behind him.

His hands froze under the faucet and his body went on alert. He hadn't heard Beth come into the kitchen. He turned off the water and faced her.

She stood by the stove sniffing the pan. "What is this? It smells heavenly."

"What?" His brain shut down and his body revved up. She'd changed clothes. Slipped on a long gauzy skirt and a peasant blouse. No shoes. Her painted toes peeked out from beneath the hem of her skirt. Trev wanted to kiss those toes. He wanted to push that skirt up and kiss the smooth thighs--

"What are you cooking?" she asked.

Damn, her husky voice kindled a flame deep inside him. Trev closed the space between them and added the asparagus to the pan. "It's risotto with mushrooms."

Beth stepped back. "It smells wonderful."

"It is."

"Can I do anything for you?"

_Oh yeah_. "You could get the bread ready while I make the salad."

She flashed him a smile. "I can do that."

Trev ripped lettuce into a big bowl, throwing in tomatoes and cucumbers and tried to ignore the woman working beside him. He needed to clamp down on his libido fast. "Where's Maggie?"

"She's up in her room. Pouting, I'm afraid." Beth placed the loaf of French bread on a cookie sheet.

"She still angry with me?" He didn't like the kid mad at him, didn't like the way that made him feel.

Beth walked to the oven and put the bread in. "Yes, she is. Sorry about that."

"Why doesn't she want me to sell the ranch?" Trev asked. "She's only a kid. Why should it matter to her?"

Beth closed the oven door and faced him with hands on hips. "Hey now, just because she's a child doesn't mean she doesn't have strong feelings about things."

"But it's not like it's her home or anything." Trev tossed the salad, trying not to think about wanting to put his hands on Beth's hips. Or her breasts. Or her flat stomach. Hell, he wanted to put his hands all over her beautiful body.

"She loved Hank," Beth said. "Mags has a lot of good memories here."

"Unlike me." He mixed olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a cruet, then added spices and herbs. He hadn't loved Hank and Hank sure as hell hadn't loved him.

"Yeah. Unlike you," she said softly. "You know something? Hank truly regretted the way he treated you. He tried to tell you. Tried to make amends. But you never returned his calls or answered his letters. You never gave him a chance."

"He had his chance. Ten years of chances. You don't know what it was like. You don't want to know."

Beth stepped closer and laid her hand on his arm. "I do want to know. If you feel like you can tell me."

Trevor looked at her hand. She offered comfort, but her touch burned. He looked into her eyes. That was a mistake. Worry, concern, compassion showed in the green depths. No one had ever looked at him like that before.

"I don't want to talk about it." He moved to the stove and added more broth to the simmering rice. He stood there stirring the mixture, battling emotions he'd fought for over twenty years.

"Tell me one thing." That soft voice was doing a number on him. Physically, as well as emotionally.

"What's that?" he said over his shoulder.

"Hank didn't beat you, did he?"

"No. Nothing more than a spanking now and again. But there are many ways to hurt a child other than physically. Ways that can influence a person for life." Now why the hell had he told Beth that?

"I'm sorry," she said.

"It's not your fault."

"I know that. I'm just sorry Hank treated you badly. No child should have to suffer like that."

Trev shrugged. "It was a long time ago. I don't like to think about it." Beth was close beside him again. He could smell her. Strawberries and her own sweet fragrance, which was slowly driving him crazy. He inhaled deeply.

"Can I have a taste?" When she leaned toward the pan, her shoulder brushed his arm. The top of the peasant blouse fell open to reveal lace-covered breasts.

Trev swallowed hard. Beth Evans was dangerous. Her questions and concern unmanned him. Tempted him to feel things he'd blocked from his mind. Her beautiful body just plain tempted him.

She looked up and smiled. "Can I taste it?"

"Sure." Trev scooped a bit of rice on the wooden spoon and blew. He offered the bite to her, holding his hand beneath the spoon to prevent a spill. "Careful, it's hot."

Beth took the bite. She closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh my God. It's fabulous. Tastes even better than it smells."

Trev swallowed again. He couldn't drag his eyes from her lips. He'd bet a million dollars she tasted better than she smelled, too.

She opened her eyes and caught him staring at her. Her cheeks turned pink, but she didn't move away. They stood only inches from each other. Trevor held the spoon suspended above the pan. He leaned nearer. He had to kiss her.

Awareness flared in Beth's green eyes and her breath hitched, but she didn't pull back. He closed the distance between them, brushed his mouth over her lips and nearly groaned out loud when she opened for him. He moved closer, pressed harder and explored her sweetness with his tongue. Damn, she did taste better than she smelled. A whole lot better.

Trev dropped the spoon and cupped Beth's cheeks, rubbing his thumbs along her jaw line. He angled his head for better access, nibbled her bottom lip, then dove back in to her moist warmth.

A sexy little moan erupted in the back of Beth's throat, and a jolt of yearning sliced through him. When she laid a hand on his chest and clutched his shirt, fire burned in his veins. He wanted to run his hands all over Beth's body. He wanted her naked . . . He wanted . . .

"Mommy! Trevor! What are you doing?"

### CHAPTER SIX

Beth jerked away from Trevor the minute she heard Maggie's indignant little voice from the doorway. Trevor straightened and turned back to the simmering pan on the stove, picked up the spoon and stirred the rice. He glanced Beth's way and winked.

The flutter in her stomach intensified. The man was too sexy for his own good. Too sexy for _her_ own good. Blood pounded in her head. For days, she'd wondered about kissing Trevor. Alone in bed at night, she replayed in her mind every instance when he'd touched her. On the porch, when she almost dropped the books. On the pier, when she lost her balance. In the hallway, when she backed into him. How many times had she imagined what it would feel like if he took her in his arms?

Well okay, he hadn't actually taken her in his arms, but now she knew how it felt to kiss him.

_Unbelievably awesome, that's how_. Good grief, she needed to be careful.

Trevor seemed unfazed by the interruption. A closer look showed his muscular chest rising and falling more rapidly than normal. Like he was having trouble with his breathing. Good. She didn't want to be the only one shaken by the encounter.

Maggie crossed her arms and frowned. "Mommy? Why were you kissing Trevor? I thought we were mad at him 'cause he's selling Poppy's ranch."

Beth thought Trevor flinched, but couldn't be sure. "Let's get you washed for dinner." She grabbed her daughter's hand and hauled her toward the bathroom.

"But Mommy, I want to know why you were kissing him."

"Hush, Mags. Sometimes grownups kiss."

"Even when they're mad at each other?"

Beth looked at Trevor over her shoulder. He still stood before the stove, but he was looking their way. What was he thinking?

"I'm not mad at Trevor, Mags."

"But I thought you said--"

"I don't want to discuss this. Let's get ready to eat."

"Okay, but I don't think you should be kissing him."

_Right_. She herded Maggie down the hall to the bathroom. Beth didn't think she ought to be kissing Trevor either. In fact, she knew she shouldn't be kissing him. Kissing led to other things. Things that could lead to trouble. Beth certainly didn't need that kind of trouble. She knew better than to give in to temptation.

_But, oh wow_. Kissing Trevor Callahan had been everything she'd dreamed it would be and more. His lips had been firm and warm. His fingers on her face gentle, tantalizing. When she'd gripped his shirt, his chest had felt hard and hot beneath her hands. She'd wanted to rip the buttons and touch his bare skin.

Lord, the man was hot. He made Beth hot.

The kiss had gone beyond her wildest imagination. With a sigh of regret, Beth knew she couldn't allow it to happen again.

****

"So how does donkey basketball work?" Nancy Prescott asked.

Beth and her mom sat at a long table in the Rock of Ages nursing home where everyone was gathered for a Saturday morning arts and crafts session.

"I'm not sure exactly," Beth said. "I saw pictures on the Internet, but I'm not certain of the rules."

"I don't know the rules either," said old Mrs. Black. She sat across from Beth crocheting a hot pad holder. "But years ago, after the big war, I saw donkey basketball played right here in Stone Creek."

"Really?" Beth asked. "Who played?"

"The firefighters and the police force played in a benefit to raise funds for charity. My Gary was quite good. He scored three times. I was so proud of him."

"Yes, I remember," Mrs. Seaton piped in. "It was so much fun. And funny to watch. The men kept slipping off the donkeys. No one got hurt, thank the Lord. Oh, I do hope I get to see them play this time."

"Of course, you'll see them play," Beth assured her. "The van will carry all of you over to the high school gym."

"That's good," Nancy said, grabbing another triangle of cloth. "I do hope this brings in a lot of money for the library."

"Me too," Beth said, rethreading her needle.

While the ladies chatted on about the fund-raiser and the Memorial Day Festival, Beth listened with half an ear and focused on her sewing. Soon, her thoughts turned to Trevor Callahan and the kiss they'd shared last night.

Her body tingled whenever she thought about Trevor leaning down and touching her lips. How she'd gotten through dinner she'd never know. Sitting across from him at the kitchen table, Beth had tried to savor the delicious rice dish he'd prepared. But her hands had been sweaty, her stomach jumpy and all thoughts of eating had fled. Whenever she'd peeked at the man, he'd been staring at her with heavy-lidded eyes. Sexual awareness radiated between them. Beth had never felt anything like it before in her life. What she'd had with her husband Matt paled in comparison.

If she had a lick of sense, Beth knew she should pack up and move back to her garage apartment. But she still had Hank's books to sort. And she hadn't figured out a way to convince Trevor not to sell the ranch. If she wasn't staying at the house, how would she find the opportunity to make him change his mind?

Mags was still angry with him. Her daughter had a tendency to hold a grudge, which was something Beth needed to nip in the bud. Holding grudges was not the way she wanted her little girl to go through life.

Beth finished the bandanna and took another piece of cloth from the shrinking pile on the table. Conversation buzzed around her and she sighed with contentment. Helping people was so satisfying.

That was another reason to stay at Hank's house. She wanted to help Trevor get over his issues with his grandfather. The man might be filthy rich and way out of her league, but he wasn't happy.

Watching him make tentative overtures to Maggie, trying to get the little girl to talk to him touched Beth deep inside. With her sneaky hormones wreaking havoc, she needed to be extra careful.

"How are your other fund-raisers coming along, Beth dear?" Mrs. Black asked.

Beth pushed aside the troubling thoughts. "The collection cans are doing surprisingly well. People are being generous. If I could get the City Council to pass a bond measure to make up the rest . . ." Beth shook her head. "They aren't very interested in the new library. All they can think about are projects that will bring in money for the town."

"Well dear, building Stone Creek into a resort community is important," Nancy said.

Beth jammed her needle through the cloth of the bandanna. "I know that, Mom. But the library is important, too. The present facility is pitiful. Shameful, in fact. The people of Stone Creek deserve better."

"That's very noble of you," Mrs. Seaton said. "Such sentiment from a young person does my old heart good. What you're doing is wonderful, Beth. And including us is an act of kindness. You don't know how much we appreciate it."

Everyone around the table murmured agreement. Nancy beamed at the praise heaped on her daughter.

Beth cleared her throat. "I couldn't do it without your help and everyone's contributions."

"Speaking of contributions," Mrs. Black said. "Are you finished cataloguing Hank Callahan's book collection?"

Beth sighed. "No, I have a long way to go. I work on it every night."

Mrs. Seaton put down her knitting needles. "I still can't believe Hank's grandson is _the_ Trevor Callahan of Titan Enterprises. I've read the magazine articles about him. He's done well for himself. And he's quite the ladies' man. I read that he's dated several New York models and at least one Hollywood movie-star."

Mrs. Black leaned closer to Beth. "So tell us, dear. What's he like? He was a good-looking youngster. I taught him freshman English. And smart! Lord, that boy was smart. It's no surprise to me that he's done so well. Is he still good looking?"

"Friendly or stand-offish?" Mrs. Seaton asked.

"It's a shame how Hank treated that boy," Mrs. Black said.

"What's it like living with a jet-setter?" Mrs. Pierce wanted to know.

"Beth's not living with him," Nancy said quickly.

"But they're staying together at Hank's house, aren't they?"

"Well, yes--"

Mrs. Pierce turned to Beth. "So, what is Trevor Callahan really like?"

All the ladies stared at Beth, waiting for her to answer their questions. Goodness, she didn't know where to start.

"Well, he _is_ good looking," she began.

"As good looking as his pictures in the magazines?" Mrs. Seaton said.

Beth smiled. "Better. Much better."

"He's caught your eye." Mrs. Black nodded indulgently.

Beth felt her cheeks grow warm. "A woman would have to be dead, not to notice him," she said.

"Is he nice?" Mrs. Pierce asked. "Well-mannered or snobbish?"

"He's very nice. Not pretentious in the least." Beth reached for the scissors to snip her thread. Trevor was being so nice, in fact, that he didn't seem like the rich CEO of an international corporation who dated super models and flew private jets.

Instead, he was an unhappy man, trying to come to terms with his past. A very attractive man whose kisses were as addictive as imported chocolate. Once you had a taste, you wanted more. A whole lot more. And Beth knew deep down, indulging in Trevor's kisses would only lead to heartache.

****

Trev stood on the scaffolding and tore down the old soffits and siding from the house. Sweat dripped down his back and his damp T-shirt clung to his skin. He stopped a moment and pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it aside.

Picking up a crowbar, he went back to it. He could have flown in a crew to do the work. Might still do it, if he needed to. But for some reason, Trev wanted to do the renovation and painting himself. It had been years since he had done any actual hard physical labor. He found that he missed it.

Exercising and working with a personal trainer wasn't the same as getting your hands dirty and using muscles you'd forgotten you had. And the sense of accomplishment for an honest day's work satisfied something basic within. Plus, maybe the back-breaking, bone-weary work would help banish the demons of the past.

"Hey, Trevor," a small voice sounded from below. "We're back from the nursing home."

Trev looked down at Maggie. Her face was so sweet as she gazed upward. She hadn't talked to him in almost twenty-four hours. One whole day. Probably the longest damn day of his life. He tried to ignore the joy in his heart because she was speaking to him again. Man, what the hell was wrong with him?

"Hey, kiddo. What's going on?"

"Can I come up there and help you? Pretty please?" She already had a foot on the bottom bar of the scaffold.

"Hold on there, Maggie. Didn't your mom warn you not to climb up here on Thursday?" That's when he'd set up the scaffolding.

"She didn't say anything about today." Maggie grinned at him, the little imp.

He had to smile at that. "It's too dangerous while I'm tearing this stuff down."

Maggie frowned. "I'll be real careful and behave myself. Please?"

Because Maggie had finally broken her silence, Trev wanted to give her anything her little heart desired. That should have warned him he was becoming too attached to the child. And that should have scared him half to death. Should have, but didn't. "Tell you what. When I start painting, you can help me. Deal?"

She clapped her hands and jumped up and down. "Deal. Do you want a glass of lemonade?"

"Sure thing. I'd like that."

"Okay, I'll be right back." Maggie ran around the house and out of sight.

Trev found himself smiling again as he stripped off another piece of siding. He'd smiled more in the past week than in the last couple of decades. The muscles in his cheeks ached from the unaccustomed use.

Coming back to Stone Creek was proving to be an enlightening experience. For years, he'd been so caught up building his business that he'd had no time for anything else. Trev suddenly realized he had no life outside work. Forty was looming close on the horizon. Made a man think about things.

He'd spent most of his adult life nursing a grudge against his grandfather. With good reason, but still. Getting rid of the ranch would close the door on that chapter of his life and maybe then Trev could move on. It was time.

"I'm back," Maggie announced. "Come down and drink your lemonade. Mommy brought a snack, too."

Beth held a tray with a pitcher and glasses and squinted up at him. "How about taking a break? You've been up there since early this morning and it's awfully hot."

"All right. You don't have to ask twice." Trev grabbed his shirt and wiped the sweat from his face and chest. He thought about putting it on, but looped it around his neck and shoulders instead.

As he climbed down the scaffolding, he steeled himself to face Beth. Ever since he'd kissed her, being near her was torture. He tried to keep his distance, but living in the same house made it impossible. He bumped into her all the time--in the kitchen, in the hall, on the stairs, everywhere.

Halfway down, Trev jumped to the ground. Beth set the tray on the workbench he'd rigged with a plank and two sawhorses. She poured the lemonade and handed him a tall glass.

"Thanks." He drained the glass and handed it back. Their fingers brushed and Trev could have sworn the heat melted the ice in the glass.

Beth cleared her throat and her cheeks grew pink. "Want more?"

Trev couldn't resist. He gently swiped a knuckle against one rosy cheek. "Oh, yeah. I'd like more."

Her breath hitched and she pulled away. "I'm talking about lemonade."

"Right. Pour me another glass." He used his shirt again to wipe sweat from his forehead. The heat was killing him and it wasn't the weather. Trev never would have believed a T-shirt and shorts on a woman could be so sexy. The cropped shirt showed a hint of smooth, flat belly. That bare skin teased his imagination and the low riding shorts pretty well teased the rest of him. He remembered her in the bikini. He wanted to see her without any clothes. See if his imagination lived up to reality.

Beth turned back with his refill. "Have you eaten lunch? I could fix you something."

"I stopped earlier and made a sandwich. How was your morning?"

"Great. We made more items for the craft corner in my mom's shop."

"All proceeds going to the library fund," Trev said.

She flashed him one of her kilowatt smiles. "Of course."

Trev liked her smile. He liked a lot about Beth Evans. Too much, in fact.

"Trevor! Come on! Mommy said we could eat our snack like a picnic." Maggie sat on a colorful quilt spread under the mulberry tree. "Come on. What are you waiting for? She made brownies and they're yummy."

"Maggie's not mad at me any more?" he asked.

Beth poured two glasses of lemonade and shrugged. "We had a talk. I explained that the ranch was yours and you could do whatever you wanted with it, no matter how we feel about it." She grabbed the tray of brownies. "Here, take these."

Trev held the tray and his glass, but didn't move. "I know Maggie doesn't want me to sell the ranch. But you know my reasons. Do you feel the same way?"

Something flickered in her eyes and she hesitated before replying. "What does it matter? My feelings aren't relevant, are they?" She walked past him and he caught a whiff of her scent. Trev wanted to bury his nose in her hair. He wanted to bury himself inside her. But that wasn't going to happen.

Trev set the brownies on the quilt and plopped down beside Maggie. He ruffled her golden curls. "How's it going, kiddo?"

Maggie reached for a brownie. "Better now that I've forgiven you."

"I'm glad you're not mad at me any more." He took a swig of lemonade and tried not to stare at Beth sitting across from him on the blanket.

"Me too. Mommy said holding grudges is bad. She said life's too short to hold a grudge."

"Your mom's a smart lady." He lifted his glass to Beth. She raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

Maggie nodded. "That's where I get it. It's in our genes. That's _g-e-n-e-s_ , not like blue jeans, with a j."

"I knew that."

"You're chattering, Mags." Beth smiled as she handed a napkin to her daughter.

"I can't help it. I like to talk." She turned back to Trev. "Mommy also 'splained how you felt about Poppy and how the ranch makes you sad. I can't understand why Poppy was so mean to you. He was always nice to me."

"Hush, Mags. Trevor doesn't like to talk about Hank."

The little girl sighed. "I'm just trying to understand." She handed a brownie to Trevor. "Try one. They're still warm. I close my eyes when I eat them. They taste just like Mommy."

"Mags!"

"What?" she said. "When I take a bite, I get the same yummy feeling in my tummy as when you hug me, that's all."

Trev took the brownie from Maggie and stared at Beth. "They taste like your mom, huh?"

"Uh-huh."

Beth looked at him over Maggie's head. Those green eyes sparked with awareness. He was flirting with danger by flirting with Beth, but couldn't bring himself to care.

Maggie grabbed another brownie for herself. "And since you kissed Mommy, you know how she tastes."

"Margaret Lynn!" Beth's cheeks turned bright red.

_Out of the mouths of babes_. "Yes, I know how your mom tastes." Trev bit into the brownie and closed his eyes. The rich moist chocolate exploded on his tongue. Not as tasty or powerful as that unforgettable kiss, but the kid was right. The brownie produced a wallop of serotonin to the brain. Kissing Beth had produced a wallop, too. Only not to the brain.

"It's good, isn't it?" Maggie asked.

Trevor finished off the sweet and reached for another, snagging Beth's gaze again. "Delicious."

"Told you." Maggie drank her lemonade. "Are you guys going to kiss again?"

Beth nearly choked. "Eat your brownie, Mags."

The little girl turned to Trevor. "Well, are you?"

Trev chewed thoughtfully. "That depends on your mom."

"Really? Is that how kissing works?"

"Usually," he said.

"Mags, you shouldn't be asking Trevor these questions."

The little girl frowned. "Why not? How will I learn anything if I don't ask questions?"

"Kissing is personal and private," Beth said. "I'll explain it all to you when you're older."

"All of it?" Trev asked.

"Yes, all of it." Beth raised her chin, as if daring him to say more. Didn't she realize what a challenge she presented? To his good intentions? To his hormones? Especially to his hormones.

Maggie sighed again. "That's what you always say. When I get older, I'm going to have way too much new stuff to learn and understand. Besides, I want to know now."

"Eat your brownie, Mags."

"Oh, all right." She made short work of the brownie, then brushed the crumbs from her hands. "Well, if you do kiss again, does that mean you're going to get married? Because if you get married, then Trevor could be my dad and he wouldn't have to sell the ranch, because we could live here."

"Mags!"

"What?"

"Trevor and I are not going to kiss again."

"Never?" Maggie asked.

"Never?" Trev repeated. He knew they shouldn't, but damn, he wanted to kiss her again.

Beth narrowed her eyes at him. "Never."

Maggie's little shoulders slumped. "Oh, well. I just thought . . . never mind."

Trev sipped his lemonade. This situation was becoming more complicated by the minute. The kid was getting the wrong idea about everything. This was exactly the reason he never dated women with children. He knew from his own bleak past how easily a child could get hurt. He didn't want to contribute to any child's unhappiness. Especially Maggie's.

But when Beth said they were never going to kiss . . . Trev knew that would be the smartest path to take. But when she actually put it into words, it sounded like a challenge. And he could never turn his back on a challenge.

Maggie jumped up and pointed to the scaffolding. "Can I climb up there just once? I want to see what Trevor's doing up close."

"Mags, I'd rather you didn't. What is it with you wanting to climb things all of a sudden?"

Maggie shrugged. "I'm not growing tall fast enough. I want to get a different perspective of stuff."

" _Perspective_?" Trev shook his head. Where did the kid come up with these words?

"That's what I said." She clasped both hands together and made an entreating motion. "Can I climb it? Pretty please?"

"I'm sorry," Beth said. "Mags thinks she can get anything she wants if she says 'pretty please.'"

"Does it work?" Trev asked. It worked for him. He was ready to give the kid the moon only because she looked so darn cute.

Beth chuckled. "Most times, yes. But not this time. No, Mags. I don't want you up there."

"But, Mommy--"

"Not another word."

"Humph."

"Mags, don't pout."

"Trevor said I could help him when he starts painting. I'll have to climb up there so I can reach."

"It's not safe."

"But Mommy--"

Trev set down his empty glass. "I can put a safety belt on her. I could really use her help."

"See, Trevor needs my help. Please?"

Beth shot him a look he couldn't interpret. The silence drew out while she considered the options. "All right. If I think the belt will keep you from falling, you can help paint."

"Yippy!" Maggie hugged her mother, then launched herself against Trevor and threw her arms around his neck.

Trev hesitated a second before wrapping his own arms around the little girl and holding her close. Oh yeah. The situation was definitely getting complicated.

### CHAPTER SEVEN

Dave and Gloria Jamail lived in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Stone Creek. Beth always drooled over the large Victorian house whenever she visited her friend. The two women had become friends while working together at the elementary school.

On Sunday evening, Beth stood at the center island of the large renovated kitchen helping Gloria with the salads. Maggie and the four Jamail kids were running around in the backyard, where the men stood guard over the barbecue pit.

"I'm so glad Dave invited you and Trevor over," Gloria said as she sliced tomatoes. "He's talked about him for years. I've been dying to meet him. And not because he's such a celebrity. Dave's really missed him. They were inseparable as kids."

"Really?" Beth glanced out the window. Trevor leaned against a trellis, a cold longneck in hand, talking to Dave. Just looking at the man caused shivers to shimmy up her spine. "He seems like such a loner," Beth said, trying to ignore those shivers. "And his childhood with Hank--he hasn't told me much, but I know he wasn't happy."

"That's an understatement," Gloria said. She tossed the tomatoes in the bowl of lettuce, then started paring cucumbers. "Dave said the old man made Trev's life hell."

Beth chopped a pickle for the potato salad. "Hank must have mellowed quite a bit by the time I met him. He regretted how he'd treated Trevor, though he never explained what he'd actually done. And Trevor assured me Hank didn't beat him."

"Dave said the old man made him feel like he was a burden. Nothing he did was ever good enough. For example, Trevor excelled in sports, not football or baseball, but he lettered in golf and tennis--"

"Yeah, Trevor said something about not liking team sports." Beth remembered Dave bulldozing him into participating in the donkey basketball game. But surely a man like Trevor Callahan never did anything he didn't really want to do. So why had he agreed to play?

"Well," Gloria continued. "Hank didn't think golf and tennis were manly or macho sports. So even though Trevor was the best of the best, it wasn't good enough for Hank."

Beth frowned. "There must have been a reason why he treated his only grandson so terribly. I wonder what it could have been?"

"I don't know. And, get this," Gloria said. "Trevor was salutatorian of his class. He skipped a grade because he was so smart. He was a year younger than his classmates and still graduated second. But that wasn't good enough for Hank, either."

"Goodness. That's so out of character for the Hank I knew."

Gloria nodded. "And besides all that, Hank wanted Trevor to stay on the ranch and take over the family business. From what Dave's told me, I think Trevor gave up trying to please his grandfather and just took off after high school. I really can't say I blame him."

"And he's never been back until now?"

"That's right. Dave is so glad to see him. He's hoping Trevor will change his mind and come back to stay. He's trying to interest him in some of the construction projects around town and the lake. But that's not going to happen, what with Trevor putting the ranch up for sale."

"I think he wants to cut all ties to his past," Beth said. And when he accomplished that, she wouldn't be getting the library money Hank had promised her. And what was worse, she'd never see Trevor again. A sinking sensation settled deep in her stomach.

"He certainly deserves to put it behind him," Gloria said. "He's done well for himself. Dave's a little jealous. I keep reminding him that he's just as successful in his own way as his friend." Gloria scraped the cucumber slices into the salad bowl and picked up a zucchini. "So tell me how it's going. I mean, living with a hunk like Trevor."

Beth looked up from the cutting board. "I'm not living with him, Gloria. We're sharing the same house. There's a difference."

"Sure, sure. But you have to admit the man's hot. If I weren't happily married, I'd be swooning in a puddle of mush every time he turned those bedroom eyes on me." She picked up a paper plate and fanned herself. "Lordy, he's sexy."

"Gloria!"

"What? A woman can dream, can't she? And you're in the position to make the dream come true. How long has it been since you went out with a man? You need to live a little."

Beth shrugged. "I have responsibilities. I have a daughter."

"Speaking of which . . . How's Trevor dealing with Maggie? Do they get along? He's probably not used to kids."

Beth smiled. "No, he's definitely not used to children. Mags has him wrapped so tightly around her finger, the man doesn't know if he's coming or going. It's really funny." It was also sweet. Trevor's interaction with Maggie melted something in Beth's heart. How could it not? Seeing him be nice and gentle, tender and teasing to Mags--that went a long way in the man's favor.

"Have you done the wild thing yet?"

" _What_?" Beth's hand jerked and she nearly sliced her thumb with the sharp knife. "Good grief, you're as bad--no, you're worse than the ladies at the nursing home. They wanted to know all about me and Trevor, too."

"Can you blame them? Trevor coming back to Stone Creek is the most exciting thing to happen in years. Trevor's practically famous. So, have you done it with him?"

"Of course we haven't done . . . _it_ . . . _that_ . . . We are not going to do it. Ever."

"Why not? It's not like you're a virgin--"

"Hey, I don't sleep around."

"Heck fire, Beth. You don't even nap around. You don't date. You don't flirt. You bury yourself in your projects. It wouldn't hurt you to have a little fun. And I think Trevor Callahan would be fun with a capital F." Gloria waggled her eyebrows.

Beth shook her head. "That's easy for you to say. You're in a good marriage with a great guy. My situation is totally different. I made a terrible mistake with Matt and I don't want to repeat it. Mags and I are doing fine, thank you very much."

"Well, I'm only saying that it wouldn't be a mortal sin if you took a walk on the wild side. You could at least kiss him."

Beth bent her head to her task of chopping onions. She felt her cheeks grow warm.

"Ah hah! You _have_ kissed him," her friend said. "So how was it? Hot? Steamy? Delicious? Tell me!"

"Hey, I don't ask personal questions about you and Dave, now do I?"

Gloria let out a sigh. "Okay, okay, you have a point. But at least you've given me hope."

"Hope for what?"

"That you're not a lost cause. That maybe you'll get on with your life. Your social life, which is nonexistent right now. Maybe some day you'll be tempted to take that walk on the wild side."

Beth threw a wadded-up napkin at her friend. "You're impossible, you know it?"

Gloria grinned. "All right. I'll shut up for now."

Maggie and Shana skipped into the kitchen and came to a halt near the center island. Maggie leaned against Beth and hugged her. "Mommy, we're starving."

Beth brushed wisps of hair from her daughter's face. "It won't be long now, pumpkin."

Gloria poured dressing over the salad and tossed the greens with tongs. "Shana, go ask your father how long before the meat is ready."

"Okay, Mom. Race you!" Shana said to Maggie.

Maggie nodded. "One, two, three, go!"

Both girls rocketed toward the back door.

"Walk!" Gloria called after them. Too late. They were already gone.

Beth smiled. "Where do they get all that energy?"

"If I knew, I'd bottle it and be a rich woman." Gloria picked up the salad, paper plates and utensils and prepared to join the men outside. "You finished with the potato salad?"

"Almost. Go ahead. I'll be out in a sec." Beth stirred in the mayonnaise and mustard mixture, coating the potatoes. All of Gloria's talk about Trevor and doing the wild thing had Beth's body thrumming.

She shouldn't even think about kissing him again, let alone doing anything more. That would be a sure path to disaster. When she'd married Matt, Beth had mistaken lust for love. Older and wiser now, she hoped she'd learned her lesson. Just in case, she sent up a silent prayer to help her be strong enough to resist temptation. She was only human after all.

****

Trev drained the last drops of beer from his longneck and threw the bottle in the recycle bin that was set up near the ice-chests on the Jamail's hardwood deck.

"Help yourself to another," Dave said. He brushed pork ribs and chicken breasts with barbecue sauce, then closed the lid on the pit.

"I think I'll wait and have one when we eat."

"Ten minutes and it'll be done," Dave said. "Fifteen, tops."

"Good." Trev's mouth watered as the scent of grilled meat mingled with the fresh spring air. How long since he'd been to a cookout? A _family_ cookout? "Family" was a concept he barely remembered and had a hard time grasping.

The French doors to the kitchen opened and Gloria came out carrying a loaded tray.

"Here, sweetheart, let me help." Dave took the tray and gave her a quick kiss before setting it on the picnic table.

"Beth will be out in a minute," Gloria said with a smile. "She's finishing up the potato salad. Hope you brought your appetite, Trevor."

"Oh, yeah. Everything smells delicious."

"Well, it's nothing fancy and probably not what you usually eat, but Dave's a good cook."

"I bet he is. I haven't eaten real Texas barbecue in years. I'm looking forward to it."

"Good, you're in for a treat." She turned away and started putting plates and napkins around the table.

The French doors opened again and Beth walked out. She hesitated and glanced around the wooden deck, caught Trevor's gaze, then quickly looked away. But not before he saw the awareness in her eyes. Something--he didn't know what--slammed inside his chest.

She wore her standard outfit of sleeveless blouse, shorts and strappy sandals. Definitely not designer-label, but Beth was beautiful anyway.

"Put the bowl right here," Gloria said to Beth. "Dave, is the meat ready?"

"Sure thing, honeybunch. Coming right up."

Gloria called the kids in from the yard to herd them inside so they could wash up. When the five children stomped on the deck, they were hot and sweaty and noisy. Maggie smiled at Trevor. That strange feeling slugged him again.

"Here, I'll help Mags," Beth said.

"I'll do it." Gloria took Maggie's hand. "You relax a minute. Grab a beer or soda. We'll be right back."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." She winked. "It's time to take that walk we talked about."

"I don't know--" Beth glanced Trevor's way and smiled shyly. He smiled back. He thought she was an intriguing mixture of innocence and sexuality.

"Go on." Gloria gave Beth a little nudge toward him. Looked like her friend was trying her hand at matchmaking.

Beth frowned. Her cheeks turned a bright shade of pink that made her freckles stand out. Trev liked the freckles. Especially the ones he'd seen on her stomach and chest when she'd worn the bikini.

"Gloria, where's the platter for the meat?" Dave said.

"In the pantry. Why don't you get it while I see to the kids?" She grabbed her husband's arm and hauled him to the door along with the children.

Definitely matchmaking.

Beth looked dazed and uncomfortable at the sudden disappearance of everyone. She turned wide green eyes on Trev. She seemed nervous, which was ridiculous since they were staying together at Hank's place. Or was she thinking about the kiss? The kiss he couldn't forget.

"You want a coke or beer?" Trev shoved away from the trellis and headed for the ice-chests. He needed something to do with his hands before he did anything stupid. Like go over and touch Beth. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to kiss her again.

"A coke will be fine." Beth stepped to the table and started dealing out forks and knives next to each plate.

Trev opened the lid of the cooler. "Regular or diet?"

"Regular."

He popped the top and handed her the cold can.

"Thanks." She took a sip, then licked a drop from her bottom lip. Trev's whole body went on alert. In his mind, he knew he and Beth could never have a relationship. But he was having a difficult time convincing his body.

He opened a bottle of beer and took a long pull. He needed to cool down and recapture his control. The control he'd lost the day he returned to Stone Creek and met Beth Evans.

"Does Gloria make a habit of setting you up with men?" _Where the hell had that come from_?

Beth spewed a mouthful of soda. "Of course not! It's nothing like that. You've got it all wrong."

"It sure looks that way to me." Trev grabbed a napkin and dabbed the front of Beth's cream-colored blouse. With his hand on her bare shoulder, he felt her tremble. He tightened his grip and her eyes flew to his. A man could lose his soul in her lovely eyes if he wasn't careful. Trev prided himself on being careful. Careful and controlled. He stepped away and thrust the napkin at her. "You better finish that."

She took the napkin and turned away.

Trev lifted his beer to his lips, his hand not quite steady. _Great, Callahan. Just great_.

The doors burst open and the kids ran out on the deck and climbed on the seats of the picnic table. Gloria and Dave followed at a more leisurely pace. Gloria carried the meat platter and Dave, a cast-iron pot of baked beans.

"Please, Mommy! Can I have a coke?" Maggie called from the table, wiggling in between Shana and her brother, Josh.

Trev shot a look at Beth. She was still blotting her blouse. "I'll get it for you, kiddo," he said. "Who else wants one?"

All the kids raised their hands. "I do! Me! Me!"

After he passed drinks around, Trev held the platter while Dave took the meat off the grill. Everyone lined up to serve their plates, buffet style.

The table was crowded; kids and adults sat scrunched together. Trev settled next to Beth, so close they could have been joined at the thigh. He felt the burn all the way to his groin. It was both pleasure and torture. Beth tried to scoot away, but couldn't. She held herself stiffly, keeping her eyes on her plate.

"Dig in," Dave said with a smile. "Hope it's good."

"Oh, Dad. It's always good," said Kurt, Dave's oldest son. Trev thought the boy must be ten or eleven. He knew Shana was five and a half because Maggie had told him. The other two kids were somewhere in between.

Trev picked up a barbecued rib and bit into the juicy meat. The tender glazed pork melted in his mouth. "Damn, Dave. Where'd you learn to cook like this?"

Dave grinned at him from across the table where he sat next to his wife. "Hey, I'm an old married man. Outdoor grilling comes with the territory. Good, huh?"

Trev nodded. "Great. You should open a restaurant."

Dave shook his head. "I don't know about that. But thanks. The secret's in the sauce."

Gloria playfully elbowed her husband. "Yeah, he puts beer in it."

"Hey, you weren't supposed to tell!" He kissed her, then resumed eating.

Trev noted the couple's contentment and happiness. Pure, unadulterated envy tugged deep inside. His old school buddy was one lucky son of a bitch. He lived a Norman Rockwell existence with his loving wife and four beautiful kids. Even their Victorian-style house looked like something straight out of a fairy-tale.

Could Trev feel any more alienated and out of sync? The same feelings had hit him when he'd first met Beth and Maggie. The bond between mother and daughter was strong and impenetrable. Like the bond between Dave and his wife and their children.

Trev started on another rib. Compared to them, his own life was lacking something. Sure, he had the external trappings of success--he owned an international corporation, and a diversified stock portfolio; he had the limos, the sports cars, the private jet. Even the women. But those things didn't keep a man warm in the middle of a cold dark night. Not even the women. They were only interested in his money, not him.

He'd worked damn hard to achieve success, to prove his worth. So why did he suddenly feel like he didn't measure up? That what he had was insignificant compared to what Dave possessed?

Coming back to Stone Creek and the Rocking C had resurrected all the old feelings of inadequacy. The sooner he left, the better off he would be. He glanced at the woman sitting next to him and stifled any remorse at the thought of never seeing her again. Beth Evans was not for him. They were all wrong for each other.

And where the hell was he going with that line of thinking? Love was a concept even more alien to Trevor than family. He'd never gotten it right. His parents had died and his grandfather had hated him. And he'd never loved a woman before.

Dave snagged Trev's attention away from his somber thoughts. "When are you going to fly down to Laredo and bring Bonita back so we can read the will?"

"I thought I'd go after Memorial Day. I'm busy working on the house right now. And it'll depend on the weather and how Bonita's mother is doing."

"Hey, Beth," Gloria said. "Why don't you go with him? You could use a break. And Bonita doesn't like to fly. You could give her moral support."

Beth straightened beside Trev and shook her head. "I can't leave Mags."

"Sure you can," Gloria said. "I'd be happy to watch her for you."

"That's nice of you, but I can't get off work--"

"Nonsense. You haven't had a vacation since you came to live in Stone Creek. You deserve some time off. I'm sure Mildred at the library wouldn't mind. How long will you be gone, Trevor?"

"Only overnight." He didn't know what to make of Gloria's obvious matchmaking efforts. But what the hell. "Beth's welcome to come along, if she wants."

"You see?" Gloria said. "It's all set. You're going to Laredo."

"All right then," Beth said. "Great."

Out of the corner of his eye, Trev saw her glare at her friend. Somehow, he didn't think Beth was thrilled with the prospect of going to Laredo. And he couldn't blame her. He wasn't sure how he felt about it either. Beth Evans was dangerous. He didn't know exactly how; he just knew that she was.

****

Later that night, Beth sat on the floor in Hank's study, organizing books. Maggie had fallen into bed, exhausted from playing so hard with the Jamail children. Beth was tired, but restless and edgy. She usually had no trouble sleeping. She didn't know what her problem was.

Right, Beth. You know.

Trevor Callahan was the problem. His arrival at the ranch had messed up her well-ordered life. Messed up her hormones and made her want things that she'd pushed to the bottom of her priority list. Things like passion, sex and _love_.

Gloria had been right on target with her innuendos. Beth did want to do the wild thing with Trevor. Her body zinged with awareness whenever he was near. Sitting next to him at the picnic table this afternoon, feeling his hard body jammed against hers, had Beth thinking all kinds of erotic thoughts.

Heck, she didn't need Gloria's help and encouragement. From the first day Trevor had stepped into her life, Beth had indulged in lustful fantasies morning, noon and night. Especially the nights.

"Mind if I join you?" Trev's deep voice sounded from the doorway.

"Yes! No!" Beth scrambled to her feet. "I'm almost finished for tonight."

Trevor moved toward her. She took a step back.

"There's no need to be afraid of me, Beth." He didn't stop until he was standing a couple of feet away.

Beth lifted her chin. "I'm not afraid of you." Her heart knocked against her ribs, giving lie to her brave words. Not exactly a lie. She wasn't afraid of Trevor as much as she was of the situation. She was afraid she'd give in to the wild attraction. Afraid she'd confuse lust and love again. Something she couldn't afford to do.

Trevor didn't say anything for a minute, just stared at her. His gray eyes gleamed silver as they moved to her lips, down her body, then slowly back up. Beth shivered in response.

"On second thought," he said, "maybe you should be afraid." With a muttered curse, he turned abruptly away, walked over to Hank's desk and sat down.

Beth tried desperately to regain control of her equilibrium and push away the feeling of regret that he hadn't taken her in his arms and kissed her. Not for the first time, she wondered what it would be like to make love to a man like Trevor Callahan. Strike that. Not a man _like_ Trevor. She wanted Trevor himself.

_Like that was going to happen_. A one-night stand or a brief passionate affair wasn't Beth's style. Besides, it wouldn't work with Trevor. He came from another world.

Beth dreamed about sharing a happily-ever-after with someone special. Someone who would love her exclusively forever and ever. She wanted what her parents had--a love that transcended ordinary everyday life. So she needed to keep those thoughts in mind. Now and in the weeks ahead. Because Trevor Callahan made her want to forget about the future and just live in the present.

"I'm going to bed." Beth moved toward the door, praying her legs wouldn't fail her.

"Come here a minute." It sounded like a command. Beth felt her hackles rise. When she hesitated, Trevor muttered another oath. Keep walking, Beth. It was the safest thing to do.

"Don't go yet," Trevor said, changing his tone. "We need to talk about this trip to Laredo."

That caught her attention. She took a deep breath and spun around. "What about it?" Gloria's manipulations still made her angry. Beth knew traveling alone with Trevor was tempting fate.

"Have a seat," Trevor said. With his foot, he pushed the straight-back chair away from the desk to better accommodate her.

Beth couldn't read his expression as she sat down. She folded her hands in her lap. "What about the Laredo trip?" she asked again.

"There's no reason for you to go. I know Gloria orchestrated the whole thing so you felt like you couldn't refuse."

"She did no such thing," Beth said, even though it was true.

Trevor looked at her in disbelief. "Well, it certainly seemed that way. When she mentioned Bonita's fear of flying, your do-gooder side kicked in."

Beth's hackles rose higher. "My _do-gooder_ side?"

He shrugged. "You can't resist helping people."

"And that's a bad thing?"

He picked up a pencil, fiddled with it, then set it back on the desk. "No, as long as you don't neglect yourself."

"I don't neglect myself." She sat straighter. Was he trying to push her buttons? Because he was doing a darned good job of it.

"Anyway, I just wanted to let you off the hook," Trevor said. "You don't have to go to Laredo with me. I'll make sure Bonita's okay during the flight."

All Beth's good intentions about keeping her distance flew out the window. "Listen, Mr. Hotshot, I said I'd go and I will. Unless you don't want me to?" Maybe he didn't want her company. Maybe the kiss they shared hadn't affected him at all. Trevor's life and his world were far out of Beth's realm of reality. And the women he knew were very different from her. Maybe he'd found her lacking. Maybe she was only imagining the electricity zipping between them.

He leveled those gray eyes on her. "Oh, I want you."

Beth swallowed. No way could she misinterpret his meaning. "You want me to go to Laredo with you?"

"That too." He leaned across the desk. "You know, we haven't discussed the kiss the other night."

She scooted the chair back. "There's nothing to discuss."

He stood and slowly came around the desk, reached for her hand and pulled her to her feet. "I want to kiss you again."

"That's probably not a good idea." Oh, lord. She was playing with fire and if she wasn't careful, she was going to get burned. Bad.

"Probably not. I know you said we'd never kiss again. But don't you want to kiss me? Can't you feel the pull between us?"

"Yes . . . No!" She jerked her hand free and started backing away.

He followed, closing in on her until she bumped against the library table. "Just one kiss, Beth. One kiss can't hurt."

Before she could react, before she could reply, Trevor wrapped his arms around her, covered her mouth with his and God help her, she was a goner.

### CHAPTER EIGHT

The kiss shot a bolt of lightning straight through Trev's body. He grew hard as soon as Beth's lips opened to allow him to enter her sweetness. He knew he shouldn't be kissing her. He'd told himself he couldn't let it happen again. But something about Beth called to him. Every rational thought vanished as he gave in to the sensations rampaging out of control.

He held her close, relishing the feel of her breasts crushed against his chest. Gliding his hands down her back to the curve of her butt, Trev pulled her closer until her body nestled against his arousal.

Damn, she was hot. She had him hard and hurting. Aching with want and need.

When Beth sighed a sexy little sigh, Trev nearly came unglued. He broke contact with her mouth and moved his lips over her cheek, then behind her ear. Deep satisfaction flooded him when she trembled beneath his sensual assault. He nibbled her earlobe and licked the delicate shell.

"Trevor." She whispered his name, caught his jaws between her hands and pulled his mouth back to hers. He plunged into her wet warmth and nearly lost it when Beth took hold of his tongue and sucked. She rubbed her lithe body against him, matching the movement to the rhythm of her tongue and Trev was ready to explode.

He pushed her against the table and ground his arousal between her legs, silently cursing their clothes. He moved his hand under her cropped shirt and unfastened the lacy bra, promising himself he'd get rid of the shirt as soon as possible. He deepened the kiss and gently touched her smooth skin.

When he cupped her breast, Beth moaned and his body instantly responded to the primal sound. He kneaded the firm, round flesh, brushing his thumb over the tight nipple. She moaned again and went limp in his arms, starting a slow slide downward.

"Easy, sweetheart." Trev caught her and held on tight, pulling her up again.

"Sorry," she said huskily, reaching for him.

"No problem." He kissed her nose, lifted her and planted her butt on the edge of the table, then spread her legs and pushed himself between her thighs.

Trev held her like that for a long moment, relishing the feel of Beth's heat. She closed her eyes and threw back her head, arching her body and rubbing herself against him while thrusting her breasts upward in invitation.

He accepted eagerly, tugging the hem of the shirt out of the way and taking one nipple into his mouth. Her body went rigid and she dug her fingers into his hair holding his head in place as he suckled her breast.

Again, Beth whispered his name and he thought it had never sounded so sexy, so wonderful, as it did coming from her lips. Her body bucked when Trev laved his tongue around the areola and blew lightly on the dampened skin.

Her fingers tightened on his scalp and she moved a little, offering her other breast for his pleasure. He latched onto the dark nipple. Beth wrapped her legs around Trev and he was acutely aware that only two thin layers of clothing kept him from her feminine flesh. Trev's arousal throbbed against the zipper of his pants.

He wanted inside her so badly his head was buzzing. He wanted to rip her shorts and panties away and taste her very essence. Then he wanted to push inside her and feel her hot wetness close around him. He wanted to feel her body accept him, feel her contractions as she climaxed. He wanted to make her his.

"Lie back on the table, Beth." She looked at him, her eyes glazed with passion, not comprehending his words. He kissed her again and she hugged him tightly. She tasted so sweet, so hot, so willing. He urged her to a reclining position, and took her hands from around his neck, kissed each palm in turn and folded them over the valley between her breasts, keeping one hand on top of hers. Her beautiful red hair fanned out against the table as she lay there so trustingly.

Sweat beaded on Trev's forehead as he kissed his way down her stomach. He kissed her freckles and licked her belly button, heard her quick intake of air. She was so incredibly responsive. He reached beneath the hem of her shorts, eased past the elastic of her panties and slipped a finger inside her feminine heat. Damn, she felt good.

Lost in a sensual haze, Beth clutched Trevor's big hand tightly against her chest, while his other hand worked magic. He moved his finger in a steady rhythm, nurturing a fire, building a roaring yearning deep inside. More than life itself, Beth needed to taste him. "Kiss me, Trevor. Please kiss me." She tugged him toward her, fusing her lips to his when he was near enough.

She kissed him hard, sucking his tongue again, smiling when he growled into her mouth. He tasted of coffee, man and sex. His scent enveloped her, complementing how he tasted.

Beth forgot how to breathe, forgot how to think, forgot everything except Trevor's touch, his taste, his scent as he kidnapped her senses. She'd had no idea her body could respond as exquisitely as it did under Trevor's clever fingers and lips.

She gave herself over to the moment. Holding on to him with both hands, she urged Trevor to continue the sensual pleasure her body was craving. His short hair prickled the skin of her palms, every nerve ending tingled from the touch of his lips. He knew just where to kiss, just where to lick. He slipped another finger inside and her body pulsated in time to his rhythmic movements.

Trevor kissed her neck and throat. Anticipation grew as he bent to her breast. When he closed his mouth over her nipple, blissful shards of pleasure cascaded through her entire being. She was on fire, her blood raging in her veins, her body throbbing with need.

Beth couldn't get enough. She wanted more. She was starving for more. She'd gone too long without, denying her body's needs, ignoring the sensual side of her nature. A side she had briefly explored and barely tapped into.

There was a reason for that, but she couldn't think of it now. Not with Trevor doing such incredible things to her body. She just wanted to feel. She was on the edge of something awesome, her body stretched tight, ready to snap. She'd never felt this way before.

With Trevor's mouth on her breast and his fingers moving exquisitely deep inside her body, Beth held her breath. Energy and tension were building to an almost painful intensity.

Trevor knew Beth was close to climaxing. Their simple kiss had quickly escalated into a blazing inferno of passion. Her body felt glorious under his lips. She was wet and slick and God, how he wanted to be inside her.

He brushed his thumb softly across her feminine curls.

Beth gasped. "Trevor, please. I need . . ."

"I know, sweetheart. I know."

Gently, he rubbed back and forth against her sensitized flesh. For one long moment, she hung on the edge. Trev increased the pressure and rhythm until she shattered and came undone beneath his sensual onslaught.

Beth cried out. Trev covered her mouth to quiet her moans. Her body pulsated and contracted around his two fingers buried deep inside her. He held her close, half laying on top of her, until the last tremors of her climax receded.

She opened her eyes and looked at him in wonder. It was all he could do not to unbuckle his belt and unzip his fly. He was a hairsbreadth away from taking her right there on the table.

What the hell was wrong with him? What the hell had he done? Beth deserved better than this.

"We have to stop." He gently withdrew his fingers and straightened her shorts. Those magnificent green eyes registered loss and rejection, then embarrassment.

Trev muttered a curse and pulled her to a sitting position. He kissed her forehead and tried to fasten her bra, but she pushed his hands away.

"I'll do it," she said. With shaking hands, Beth fumbled with the clasp. Her body was still shuddering with reaction. Finally, the clasp held and she smoothed her shirt over her stomach, then hopped down from the desk. Her legs wobbled and she would have fallen if Trevor hadn't caught her elbow to steady her.

"You okay?" He didn't immediately release her. He looked deeply in her eyes and Beth's heart tumbled over. Trevor was breathing hard and tremors rippled through his strong body.

The need to give him what he obviously wanted was almost too much for Beth to withstand. She raised a hand to his rough whiskered cheek, traced his jaw line, whispered his name.

He caught her wrist and jerked her against him. Beth felt his arousal pressing against her belly and her knees went weak again.

"One more kiss," he growled. "I have to taste you one last time." He crushed his lips to hers and Beth felt all the pent-up hunger he was trying to control.

Trev cupped her bottom with both hands and ground his lower body against her. Just when she thought she might climax again, he thrust her away. His eyes glittered like steel and he clenched his hands into fists. "Go upstairs, Beth. We're not going to do this. Get out of here. _Now!_ "

Beth didn't wait. She turned on her heels and fled. What had happened? One minute he was kissing her with a hunger so molten, so powerful, it practically incinerated her; the next moment he was pushing her angrily away.

Had Trevor suddenly decided she wasn't what he wanted? Had he found her lacking? Wasn't she good enough for him?

Beth ran into her bedroom and slammed the door. She looked at the bed. Sleep was impossible. Walking over to the window seat, she sank down on the tufted cushion and stared out the window into the dark starry night. Hugging a pillow to her chest, she buried her nose in its fluffy softness.

Trevor had done wonderful, exciting things to her body. He'd made her see fireworks, but still she felt a hollow emptiness deep in the pit of her stomach. She had the awful feeling only Trevor Callahan could fill that emptiness. And he'd made it perfectly clear that he had no intention of following through.

****

The next morning, Trev slept later than usual. He'd had a restless night, tossing and turning. Thinking about Beth. Kissing her. Touching her. Wanting her desperately.

He still wanted her desperately. He'd never wanted a woman as much as he wanted Beth. She'd made him need her and it scared the hell out of him.

Beth deserved a devoted, loving husband. She needed a father for Maggie. Trev didn't know how to be either of those things. He couldn't give her what she needed. She was the marrying kind of woman. The kind he'd always avoided. Plus she had a child. Another thing he'd always avoided.

Beth deserved a good man. Not someone like Trevor who was carrying around more baggage than a Boeing 747.

He sat up in bed and propped a pillow behind his back. He knew he had issues to deal with. Hell, just looking around his old bedroom reminded him of one of his worst issues.

His grandfather had updated and redecorated the rest of the house. But not Trev's room. Everything was exactly the same as the day he had left. It was obviously kept clean and dust free. But the same plaid curtains and the same quilt covered the old metal bedstead. Nothing had been touched or rearranged.

The wall was still plastered with posters and photographs from Trev's past. The shelves still housed the numerous trophies and awards Trev had won at school--none of which had impressed or meant a damned thing to Hank.

So why hadn't Hank gotten rid of Trev's stuff?

His grandfather might be dead and gone, but Trevor still nursed old hurts. Hank had never shown he had any feelings for his only son's child other than dislike. The old man had always thought Trevor a burden and a trial, a responsibility he'd never asked for and didn't want.

It had never mattered to his grandfather that Trev received good grades, excelled in sports, won scholarships, then went on to establish a successful business. All Trev's hard work had been for nothing. It hadn't gotten him what he truly wanted or needed: his grandfather's love and admiration.

_Aw, hell_. Enough with the morose thoughts. Trev had learned a long time ago he didn't need anybody. He'd learned the only person he could depend on was himself.

He got out of bed, dragged on some clothes and headed downstairs. No need for a shower since he would be working outside and getting hot and sweaty.

In the hallway, he slowed his pace. He heard Beth and Maggie talking in the kitchen. How would Beth react this morning after what had happened last night? He wondered how he should act. Not only had he taken advantage of her and allowed the kiss to spiral out of control, he'd practically snarled at her afterward and chased her off.

_Smooth, Callahan. Real smooth_.

Maggie sat at the table and spied him standing in the doorway. "Trevor! You're awake. Goodie! I get to help you paint today, remember?"

"Yeah, kiddo. I remember." He stepped into the room and ruffled her curls on his way to the coffee pot on the counter. Beth stood at the stove, flipping pancakes. She didn't look his way, but he could see her cheeks turn bright with color.

Trev poured a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter. "Morning," he said. "Smells good." The whole kitchen smelled wonderful. Coffee, pancakes, bacon and Beth. Especially Beth. He inhaled a deep breath.

Beth threw him a stiff smile. "Breakfast will be ready in a minute."

"No hurry." He sipped his coffee and watched her over the rim of his cup. She appeared uncomfortable and embarrassed. He was a bastard to have done that to her.

She finished the last batch of pancakes and set the platter on the table along with a plate of crisp fried bacon. Butter and syrup were ready and waiting.

"Trevor, hurry up and sit down," Maggie said. "I'm starving."

Trev took a seat across from the little girl. "Seems like you're always starving."

Maggie smiled at him. "That's because I'm a growing girl. I need lots of vitamins and minerals. Right, Mommy?"

"That's right, baby." Beth sat down and served Maggie's plate. She cut a stack of three pancakes into small neat squares.

"Make sure they're all straight," Maggie said. "They have to be exactly straight."

"I know, Mags. I know."

Maggie looked at Trevor. "I like them in straight rows. They taste better that way."

"Really?" He helped himself to a stack of pancakes and slathered butter on the tops, then poured the warm syrup.

"Uh-huh," Maggie said. "May I have some bacon, please?"

Trev passed the plate and Maggie grabbed three pieces. He took four and handed the plate to Beth.

"Thanks." Still not meeting his eyes, she took a couple of pieces for herself.

Neither of them spoke while they ate. Maggie kept up a cheerful monologue that covered any awkwardness. Trev hated that he'd made Beth uncomfortable. That he'd jeopardized their friendship. He enjoyed his interaction with Beth and Maggie.

Again, Trev cursed himself for his loss of control. He had to make it right with Beth. But what could he do? What could he possibly say?

"All done," Maggie announced. "I'll go wash up and wait for you outside."

"Don't climb the scaffold until Trevor gets there," Beth said.

"I won't." Maggie smiled at Trevor, hopped down from the table and ran from the room.

"She's excited about helping me paint," Trev said.

"She's been looking forward to it. I hope she won't be in your way." Beth stood and gathered the dirty plates and took them to the sink. "It's kind of you to let her help."

Trev picked up his empty plate and took it over to Beth. "She's a neat kid. I like Maggie."

"She likes you, too."

Beth rinsed the dishes and loaded the dishwasher. She did her best to ignore Trevor. He was standing close beside her. She couldn't look at him. She'd die of embarrassment if she did. She still couldn't believe what they'd done, what they'd almost done, in Hank's study.

"Beth, we need to talk." He took hold of her arm and turned her to face him.

His fingers scorched her and she jerked away. "There's really nothing to talk about, is there? We got carried away last night, that's all." She couldn't let Trevor know how vulnerable she felt right now. How completely she'd lost control in his arms. Good lord. Was she a slave to her hormones or what?

"You could say we got a little carried away." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Do you want me to apologize?"

"Do you _want_ to apologize?" Was he sorry he kissed her? Touched her? Tilted her world?

"Hell, no," he said. "I wanted to drag you upstairs and get you naked. But I didn't think that would be the smart thing to do."

Damn him for being so calm, Beth thought. Her body whirred with excitement from him standing so close. Nothing had prepared her for the explosion of sensation she'd experienced in Trevor's arms last night.

_Good grief._ She'd had sex before. She'd had a baby for crying out loud. But Matt's gropings in the dark bore no resemblance or comparison to the magic of Trevor's kisses and caresses.

"You sure you're okay?" Trevor looked at her with tender concern. Beth wished he'd thrown caution to the winds last night and dragged her upstairs like he'd said he wanted to do. She wished he'd take her in his arms right now and kiss her again. But that wasn't going to happen. Shouldn't happen. That would be playing with fire and Beth reminded herself that she didn't want to get burned again.

"I'm okay." Not really, though. She was holding on to her composure only by a thread and didn't want to lose it in front of Trevor. She didn't want Trevor Callahan to know how unsophisticated Beth Evans truly was.

Strong hands grasped her shoulders. She kept her head lowered and tried to wiggle away, but Trevor wouldn't let her. "Look at me, Beth."

"No." She sniffed. Darn it, she _would_ not cry. She didn't need these sloppy emotions complicating her life.

Trevor placed a finger under her chin. "I'm sorry I took advantage--"

"You didn't take advantage," she said quickly. No way would she let Trevor take the blame. She'd been a willing partner. Too willing. That was the problem in a nutshell. "I didn't stop you--"

He silenced her with a finger over her lips. "Wait a minute, let me finish. I'm not sorry I kissed you. You're sweet and young and sexy as hell."

"You think I'm sexy?"

He rubbed his finger back and forth, gently over her bottom lip, then dropped his hand to her shoulder. "Hell yes, I think you're sexy. I don't go around kissing every woman I meet, you know."

"But the magazine articles--"

"Don't believe everything you read." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I admire you very much, but I shouldn't have let the kiss get out of control like that. It won't happen again. I promise."

Beth nodded. Trevor was being a gentleman about the whole thing. She should be glad, right? Then how come she felt disappointed instead? Disappointed and confused. Maybe he was trying to make her feel better. Maybe he didn't want her as badly as she wanted him.

Beth knew she was nothing like the other women in his life. No matter what he said, the women he dated were beautiful and sophisticated. No way could she compete with the glamorous socialites and career women who moved in his circles.

Time for a reality check. Trevor's world was not Beth's world. He was in Stone Creek for three or four weeks at the most. Two important facts she needed to keep in mind.

Beth took a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face. "Look, let's agree we got caught up in the moment and the male-female thing. Close proximity, chemistry, whatever. It didn't mean anything."

"Right. It meant nothing," he said. Was that regret in his voice? Maybe the kiss had affected him. Get real, Beth. That was only wishful thinking.

Trevor's eyes gleamed silver like they'd done last night before he'd kissed her. For one heart-stopping instant, Beth thought he was going to do it again. But he dropped his hold on her shoulders, turned away and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Maybe the man wasn't as calm as he appeared on the surface.

"Will you still fly to Laredo with me?" he said over his shoulder.

Definitely not a good idea. Beth took another deep cleansing breath. "You know what? I don't think so. In fact, maybe I should move back to my garage apartment."

He quickly turned to face her again. "You don't trust me to keep my hands to myself?"

Beth couldn't lie to him. She'd trusted him enough to let him touch her intimately. Trusted him enough to break six years of celibacy if he so much as crooked a finger at her now. "I trust you. But it's probably best for me not to stay here any longer. Maybe I should go home."

"Go home?" Trev couldn't believe what Beth was saying. Was she really going to leave the ranch? Leave him? If she left, she'd take Maggie. He liked the kid. A lot. He'd miss her like hell.

But he'd miss her beautiful mother even more. He enjoyed having them at the ranch. Their presence made everything more bearable. Even pleasant, if he was honest.

Trev stared down at Beth. His arms ached to hold her again. His hands fisted in his pockets. Damn, he had it bad for this woman.

She was looking at him out of those big green eyes, waiting for him to say something. She bit her bottom lip and desire rammed him in the gut. He wanted to kiss her again. But he couldn't, because he didn't want to hurt her.

Trev took a step back. He didn't want her to leave either. He had to think of a way to make her stay.

_Think, Callahan. Think_.

"You don't have to go home, Beth. I know how hard you're working to get Hank's books organized. And we had a deal, didn't we?"

"A deal?" Beth looked confused for a minute, then nodded. "Oh, yeah. Our deal." She lifted that determined chin again and squared her shoulders. "Okay, I'll stay and keep house for you until Bonita returns. But no more kissing. That's the new deal."

"No more kissing." He couldn't stop himself from looking at her lips and remembering how they felt beneath his own, how good she tasted.

Hell, Trev knew she was right. But man, he wanted to kiss her. Wanted to do a whole lot more than kiss her.

"Deal?" Beth stuck out her hand, ready to seal the bargain.

Trev took it in a firm grasp. He forced himself not to jerk her into his arms and kiss her until she whimpered with need.

Maybe it would be better if she did leave. _Don't even think that, Callahan_. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Beth was helping him get a handle on his issues about the ranch and his grandfather. He suddenly realized that maybe he _needed_ Beth.

Damn it all to hell. Since he'd returned to the ranch, nothing had been the same. He had the sinking suspicion that nothing would ever be the same again. Especially considering the strength of the sexual current flowing from his hand to Beth's in what should have been an ordinary handshake. Was she feeling it, too?

Beth gasped and her eyes widened in surprise. She quickly withdrew her hand. "Maybe we shouldn't shake hands either."

"You got it," Trev said, unable to control the huskiness of his voice. "No touching of any kind."

Did she really believe they could keep that bargain? That proved Beth was too young, too innocent, too naive. He couldn't be in the same room with her without wanting to touch her. But if he wanted Beth to stay, somehow, some way, he would have to keep his hands to himself. Problem was, Trev had no idea if that was possible.

### CHAPTER NINE

_Stupid, stupid, stupid_. Beth gripped the wheel tightly as the bookmobile bumped along the dirt road. She'd castigated herself a thousand times over for what had occurred in Hank's study two nights ago. And what about the shaky truce she had entered into with Trevor? What had she been thinking? That was her problem. Thinking had taken a backseat ever since Trevor had shown up at the ranch.

She might as well admit it. She was weak where men were concerned. No, not all men. She'd had opportunities to date in the past few years. But no one had struck a spark and she'd figured it was a waste of time. Not worth the trouble.

Trevor Callahan sure struck sparks. Hot, incendiary sparks that set off a wildfire whenever they touched. Or didn't. Even thinking about him ignited a flame deep inside her. Oh, man. She certainly was weak where he was concerned.

Beth turned in at the Rocking C gate, passed the windmill and barns and drove toward the house. She needed to pick up a book for her afternoon route. Mr. Collins had requested one of Ray Bradbury's old novels. Beth had forgotten to grab it on her way out this morning and now she was running late. Again. As usual. Story of her life.

She parked the big van in front of the house and hesitated before climbing out. Trevor was up on the scaffolding with his shirt off. His broad shoulders gleamed with sweat. His shorts rode low on his hips and the sculpted thighs screamed power and strength. Trevor Callahan was one fine specimen of masculinity.

Look, but don't touch. That's essentially what they'd agreed upon. So why was it when something was suddenly off-limits, that's what you wanted more than anything in the world?

Beth wanted to touch. Lord, she wanted to touch. And she wanted Trevor to touch her. She couldn't sleep at night because of the erotic dreams her brain wove around him. But she'd been the one to set the limits and he had quickly agreed to the conditions. With almost embarrassing speed, she thought indignantly.

So, here she was, sitting in the bookmobile, looking at the gorgeous hunk of male with no shirt on and muscled shoulders that begged to be touched. Beth could feel the heaviness building in her belly.

She shook her head, hopped out of the van and headed for the house. If she walked fast enough, she could be in and out without having to actually speak to Trevor. Just a wave and a smile and she'd be on her way.

Ever since the night in Hank's study, they'd been tiptoeing around each other, executing the steps of an intricate dance of avoidance. If Beth wasn't one of the partners in the dance, she would be amused. But it wasn't funny to her. Not funny at all.

Beth jerked open the front door and stomped into the house. Trevor Callahan confused the hell out of her. And she was wasting way too much time thinking about the sexual attraction between them. Nothing was going to happen.

That was the least of her problems. Or should be.

The man had derailed Beth's train of thought. He'd almost made her forget that her ultimate goal was to persuade him to keep the ranch.

Trevor had been here almost two weeks and he was still determined to sell. Beth hadn't done one cotton-picking thing to make him change his mind.

She grabbed the book sitting on the library table. The table where she'd exploded in ecstasy beneath Trevor's magical hands the other night. Clutching the book to her chest, Beth took deep calming breaths. _Don't think about it. Just don't think about it._

Resolutely turning on her heel, she walked out of the study and out of the house. A glance at the scaffolding showed that Trevor wasn't there any longer. Beth quickened her step, intent on making her getaway without bumping into the man who was turning her world upside down and inside out.

She jerked open the door to the bookmobile and bit back a moan. So close. So close to making a clean getaway. She should have known better. What was Trevor doing in her bookmobile?

Beth stilled her quivering heart and climbed in. "Can I help you?" she asked, glad her voice sounded calm and normal.

Trevor shot her a look over his shoulder. A look Beth had a hard time interpreting. "Just curious. Never been in a bookmobile before. Interesting collection." He scanned the titles on the shelves.

The interior of the van was cramped. With Trevor standing in the middle, the two walls of books seemed to merge together. Thank God, he'd pulled on a shirt.

Beth stayed near the driver's seat and didn't move. As usual when she was near Trevor, all coherent thought fled her brain.

_Look, but don't touch. Well, darn. Looking never hurt anybody_. Trevor's short dark hair was spiky and wet from perspiration. The navy blue shirt clung to his sweaty body. His biceps bulged, not too much, just enough to send skitters of anticipation all through her system. A few specks of white paint played peek-a-boo beneath the black hair on his arms and legs.

The heady smell of hot male mingled with the musty odor of books. When he turned to face her, Beth's mouth went dry and her panties damp.

She cleared her throat. "It's a meager collection, isn't it?"

"Oh, I don't know," Trevor said. "Quality over quantity is always better."

"But less isn't always more," Beth retorted. "And in this case, more would be better." Were they still talking about books? He had that glint in his eye again. She swallowed hard.

Trevor nodded slowly. "Now I understand why you're so bound and determined to organize Hank's books and to build the new library."

Beth smiled and shrugged. "That's me. Bound and determined."

"That's a good thing, Beth. One of the things I admire most about you." His low voice stirred her blood.

She took a deep breath. "I have to get going. I'm working, you know."

Trevor started walking toward her. "I know. I need to get back to painting. But not yet."

_Say something, Beth. Anything_. "How's the painting coming along?" she managed.

He stopped in front of her, crowding her space. It was the closest they'd been since the other night. She willed herself to stand straight and not lean toward him.

"It's coming," he said. "I should finish up early next week."

Beth stared at the pocket on his shirt. "So soon? It won't be long then before you'll have everything ready to settle Hank's estate." She didn't know whether to feel relieved or disappointed. On the one hand, the longer it took for Trevor to get things settled, the longer Beth had to stay at the ranch and try to convince him not to sell. On the other hand, the longer she stayed at the ranch, the harder it would be to resist temptation. And Trevor Callahan tempted her. Lord, how he tempted her.

He looked down at her, his gray eyes searching her face. Dear God, she couldn't find her breath.

"I can't stop thinking about Sunday night," he said, not touching her, but standing close.

Too close. Not close enough.

"Me neither," she whispered.

Trevor took hold of her shoulders and she dropped the book. She couldn't look away from Trevor's eyes. She was being swept away in a maelstrom of sensation.

He gripped a little tighter. "About that agreement we made. No kissing, no touching?"

Beth nodded. "Yes?"

"It's not going to work."

"It's not?"

"Nope. I want you. I want to kiss you and touch you."

"I want you, too," she said softly.

He gently brushed his knuckles against her cheek. "We're all wrong for each other."

"I know." Boy, did she know. But she didn't want to think about it. Didn't want to think period.

"I can't give you what you deserve, Beth."

What did he mean by that? And did she care? Not at the moment. All she cared about was being in Trevor's arms again.

"It doesn't matter." Beth grasped the front of his shirt and stood on tiptoe.

He leaned down and his warm breath grazed her lips.

"Beth, I--"

The sound of cars pulling onto the gravel drive wafted in through the bookmobile door.

"We have company." Trevor dropped soft kisses on Beth's mouth and forehead. "We'll continue this later." He quickly exited the van.

No, they wouldn't, Beth thought. She bent to retrieve the book from the floor and tried to gather her scattered emotions. She was aroused and frustrated, confused and angry with herself and Trevor. Why had he reneged on their agreement? Why had she? And did she really want to?

_Oh, she wanted_.

Beth looked out the rear window of the bookmobile. She recognized Angela Dreumont, Stone Creek's resident vamp and realtor combined. Tacky, Beth. Real tacky.

Two men in suits stood beside Angela. She had obviously brought prospective buyers for the ranch.

Well, darn. If Beth hadn't been running late, she could hang around and see what happened. But she had books to deliver. She had to leave. Now.

Beth started the engine. In her rearview mirror, she saw Angela talking animatedly to Trevor. Introducing the men. Everyone shaking hands.

Surely, it would take longer than a week and half to find a buyer for the ranch? It was too soon, wasn't it?

Maybe not. Time was running out. Beth could feel Hank's money slipping through her fingers like grains of sand in an hourglass. She could also feel the opportunity for getting closer to Trevor sliding away.

Beth groaned. She didn't know which was worse. Both scenarios left her with a heavy, sick feeling inside. She needed that money. And she was half afraid she was beginning to need Trevor Callahan, too.

****

A couple of days later, Trev found himself stuck inside the house because of a bad thunderstorm. Lightning split the dark skies and thunder crashed and shook the house. Rain pounded the roof and wind whipped around the eaves, whistling and whining.

Maggie had gone to school today. With exams over, Beth had opted not to go in to work. Instead, she was cleaning and dusting. Getting the house ready for Bonita's return, she'd said.

They were alone. Both of them were acutely conscious of that fact. The rain and gloomy darkness outside created an intimacy and feeling of isolation inside. The no-touching limitation hung over them like the black clouds of the storm. They'd been avoiding each other since early this morning.

Trev had retreated to his makeshift office in the dining room to read email and make phone calls. He'd opened the curtains so he could watch the rain. He was having trouble concentrating. He could hear Beth moving around upstairs.

That night in Hank's study still burned in his brain. His imagination had provided countless finales to the encounter, most of them involving a soft bed and Beth naked. The scene inside the bookmobile played over and over again, too. He'd been going to kiss her. And she'd been willing. But the interruption had separated them and Beth must have had second thoughts, because she had made certain they hadn't been alone again since.

Until now.

Damn, he wished it wasn't raining. He felt trapped. Felt the walls closing in on him. Felt the demons of the past lurking in the shadows. Felt his attraction for the woman upstairs growing stronger.

He needed to be outside tearing off more siding, working on the house. The hard physical labor was satisfying. The house was shaping up. He still couldn't understand why Hank had let it get so run down.

It didn't matter. Trev had two investors interested in buying the Rocking C. Everything was going as planned. He should be pleased, but for some reason it all left a sour taste in his mouth. He just couldn't figure out what the hell was wrong with him.

Trev focused his attention on replying to an email. The rain whooshed against the windows. The floor directly above him creaked. Sounded like Beth was cleaning Hank's room now.

Suddenly, he pushed back his chair and stood. There was something he couldn't put off any longer. Since his return, he hadn't stepped foot inside Hank's bedroom. He'd been everywhere else in the house. But not Hank's room. He'd put it off, stalling, delaying the moment he'd have to face the memories of the past.

Perhaps it'd be a little easier with Beth up there. Cowardly? Maybe. Or maybe he just needed a little help. Living with Beth was teaching him things.

Before he changed his mind, Trev took the stairs two at a time. Down the hall, Beth was humming. Trev slowed his pace to a walk, not stopping until he reached his grandfather's bedroom.

His heart thumped loudly in his chest. Was it apprehension or anticipation? Fear of what he was confronting? Or eagerness to be with Beth again?

Trev watched her a moment from his unobserved vantage point. She was bending over to dust the bottom shelf of a bookcase. Her sweet little butt pointed in his direction. Her short shorts bordered on the provocative; the hem rode up baring a hint of rounded bottom covered in black satin.

Trev wanted to cup the enticing flesh, knead it, feel it under his hands. He wanted to stand behind Beth and grasp her waist, pull her flush against him and grind himself into her softness. Then he'd push his hands under her shirt and touch her silky skin, all the way to the front of her body where he could caress her breasts, touch her nipples, make her moan. He'd turn her around and kiss her, back her toward the bed and--

"Trevor! What are you doing up here? You scared me half to death."

"Sorry. Didn't mean to frighten you." The erotic thoughts weighed heavy on his groin. He needed to get his mind back on track.

Trev stepped into the room. He couldn't let her know about his dread of coming in here. Admitting he was a coward to himself was one thing. Admitting it to Beth was something else entirely. "I thought I'd go through some of Hank's things while I'm stuck inside today."

"Okay." She held the feather duster before her like a shield. "And you just happened to come up here now? The same time I was cleaning in here?"

He hesitated. "Well, I--"

Beth cut him off. "It's been raining all day. I've been cleaning for hours." A frown appeared and she narrowed those green eyes at him. "Have you been in here since you came to the ranch?"

Damn, he should have known she'd zero in on his problem. Beth helped people. Fixed things. Made things better.

So let her, Callahan. What could it hurt?

"No, I haven't been in here."

The frown disappeared. Understanding shone in her eyes. "Oh, Trevor--"

He put up a hand to ward off any pity or sympathy. "I know it's foolish. Hank's dead. He can't hurt me any more."

"It's not foolish," Beth said. "It's a perfectly normal reaction. What can I do to help?"

"Keep cleaning, while I look around."

"I can do that."

"And talk to me."

"All right, I can do that, too. What do you want me to say?" She turned to the bookshelf and continued dusting.

"Tell me how everything's coming along for the Memorial Day Festival." Trev walked the perimeter of the room. Beth's low voice provided comfort and gave him courage. He didn't really listen to what she was saying. It didn't really matter.

Hank had updated the decor in his bedroom. A new bed frame of sturdy oak and wrought iron dominated the room. A leather chair stood in the corner flanked by a floor lamp and side table. Trev had a hard time picturing his grandfather in here. What a stark contrast to the previous utilitarian furnishings from Trev's youth.

Hank had obviously spent thousands of dollars refurbishing and renovating the interior of the ranch house. New paint, new wallpaper, new carpet and tile, a lot of new furniture. Every room had been updated in some way or another.

Every room except Trevor's old bedroom.

Was that one last jab from Hank? One last slap in the face? The old man had known he was dying. He'd known Trev would be forced to return to the ranch.

"Trevor? Are you listening to me?" Beth broke through his disturbing thoughts.

He took a deep breath. She was standing at the end of the bed staring at him with a worried look on her face.

"Sorry," he said. "What did you say?"

"Maybe you'd rather talk about Hank and what you're feeling right now."

"I don't think so. Tell me what you were saying before."

"O-kay," she said with a frown. "Well, I've put up posters all around town advertising the donkey basketball game. I've recruited enough players for four teams. Besides you and Dave, I have quite a line-up."

Trev stopped his tour of the room near the leather chair. Had his grandfather sat here often? And what did it matter? He glanced over his shoulder at Beth. "Who else have you coerced into playing?"

"Coerced?" She raised her chin.

He shrugged. "Strong-armed? Manipulated?"

"I didn't manipulate anyone. I asked politely and they were happy to oblige."

"Uh huh. Who's agreed to play this silly game of yours?"

"Silly game? Are you deliberately trying to push my buttons?" She crossed her arms over her chest. Her breasts strained against the thin fabric of her T-shirt.

Yeah, he'd like to push her buttons. But not the way she was implying. Hank's room was messing with his mind and emotions. "Look, this isn't easy for me, being in here. Tell me who else will be playing in the game."

She bit her bottom lip. Trev knew she wanted to ask questions and offer help. But she refrained and continued talking. "I have the mayor, the police and fire chiefs, Father Abernathy and Reverend Jones. Plus some others. I have volunteers lined up to sell tickets and work the concessions."

He whistled under his breath. "I'm impressed. You've worked hard."

Beth shrugged. "Now if only it all goes well and no one gets hurt and people show up to watch the game."

"They'll show up. You're worrying for nothing. I'm sure it'll go off without a hitch."

"I certainly hope so."

Trev picked up a leather-bound notebook from the side-table next to the chair. "What's this?"

Beth crossed the room and stood by his side. "Looks like Hank's journal."

"Hank kept a journal?" The book in his hand suddenly took on the danger of a live grenade. Full of devastating potential.

Beth nodded. "He told me he'd kept one for years and years. To record the history of the ranch, he said. There are more in the bookcase. Bottom shelf."

"I didn't know he kept a journal. I was never allowed in this room as a child."

"Never?" Beth asked.

Trev shook his head. "Only once. The first night I came to live with Hank. It was raining hard, lightning and thunder, like the storm today. Only it seemed worse. I was a little kid and I was scared."

Beth laid her hand on Trev's arm. Her fingers were warm on his skin. "What happened?" she said softly.

Thunder boomed outside echoing the distant memory of that long ago rainstorm. "What do you think happened? Hank scolded me, mocked my fears and ordered me back to my room. I decided then and there that he wasn't my real grandfather. I called him Hank from then on."

"I'm sorry."

Trev shrugged off her hand, as well as her sympathy. He didn't know why he'd told Beth about that night. He'd never told anyone before. "It doesn't matter now."

He stared at the book in his hands. What kind of surprises did it hold? What secrets did the journal keep?

"Are you going to read it?" Beth asked quietly.

"I don't know. Maybe." Trev set the book back on the table. "Not right now."

Lightning flashed brightly, followed immediately by a loud clap of thunder.

"That was close," Beth said.

"The storm's getting worse." Leo had told Trev they needed rain, but this was a little much.

Another flash of lightning, another crash of thunder. The lights went out leaving Trevor and Beth in sudden darkness. Not total darkness, but dark enough.

"Trevor?" Beth's voice squeaked and she grabbed his arm. Was she frightened or just startled?

Whatever the cause, he fought the urge to gather her close. He would not take advantage of the situation or the woman. Especially in his grandfather's bedroom.

The phone shrilled in the darkness. Beth jumped a mile high and tightened her hold on him.

"It's okay. Why don't you answer it?" Trev pried her fingers loose and walked to the window. He opened the curtains, letting a little light into the room. The phone shrilled again.

"The telephone, Beth. Answer it. I'll go find a flashlight. Stay put, until I get back."

Right, like she was going anywhere, Beth thought. It might only be late afternoon, but it was almost dark as night. Clutching the feather duster to her chest, she went over to the bedside table and picked up the phone. "Hello?" Static hissed and buzzed in her ear. It took a minute before she recognized her mother's voice.

"Hey, Mom." She glanced at the clock by the bed. Four-thirty. "Everything okay? Is Mags all right? You picked her up, right?"

"Yes, honey. I have Maggie. She's watching cartoons and eating cookies and milk. Have you been listening to the weather reports?"

"Uh, no. It's raining like crazy though. And the lights are out over here."

Trevor came back into the room, flashlight in hand. Beth watched him as she listened to her mother give her version of the weather report. He turned to the window and looked at the rain. The man wore loneliness like a cloak. He might have scads of money, but he wasn't happy. Beth wanted to wring Hank's neck for mistreating his grandson.

"Beth, are you there? Have you heard a word I've said?" her mother asked.

"Yeah, Mom. I hear you. Flash flooding and the river and creeks are up. I was so happy it was finally raining, I wasn't paying attention. I should have headed to town earlier to get Mags."

"The roads are impassable," Nancy said. "Don't you dare try to come to town. Maggie's happy and safe. She's been after me to spend the night for weeks. This is the perfect opportunity."

"Yeah, but it's a school night."

"No problem, dear. I'll make sure she gets to bed early and take her to school in the morning. Will you be okay out there alone with Trevor?"

_No!_ No she wouldn't. "Yes, of course."

"All right. Now don't worry about a thing. We'll be fine. You can see Maggie tomorrow. Bye, dear."

Beth hung up the phone. She and Trevor were going to be alone in the house tonight without Maggie acting as a buffer. All day long, she'd been aware of the fact that they were alone. Restless with the knowledge. Now, in the darkness, with it raining outside, it would only be worse.

She glanced at Trevor. He'd picked up Hank's journal again.

"Maggie okay?" He kept his attention on the book.

"Yes. She'll be spending the night with my mother."

"That's probably best," he said. "If the power doesn't come back on, it could get pretty hot without the air conditioner. Not conducive to a good night's sleep."

The words-- _night and sleep and hot_ \--hung in the air between them, conjuring images of sleek sweaty bodies tangled in the sheets. The big double bed loomed in the shadows. Rain pummeled the roof. Trevor looked at Beth for a long drawn-out minute, his eyes hooded. Beth's breath stopped and her heart hammered in her chest.

Lightning flashed again; thunder reverberated through the house. Beth wasn't usually frightened of storms, but the ferocity of this one was making her nervous. Not to mention the prospect of spending the night alone with Trevor Callahan.

"Let's go downstairs," he said. Before she could reply, he took her elbow and guided her toward the door, shining the flashlight to guide the way. Beth shivered.

"You cold?"

"No." Far from it.

"Scared of storms?"

"No." Thunder shook the house again and she flinched. "Okay, maybe a little. But only when they're right on top of me like this one is."

Trevor didn't say anything more as he led her to the kitchen. They stopped by the center island, between the sinks and stove, but he didn't release her elbow. "You wouldn't happen to know where another flashlight would be, would you? And maybe some candles?"

"Bonita keeps supplies in the pantry. I'll get them." Beth tried to loosen his hold on her, but he didn't let go. Instead, he turned her to face him.

The rain poured down outside the window, a gray curtain of water. The beam from the flashlight cast flickering shadows all around them.

Beth looked up at Trevor's face. His rugged features were softened by the dimness. His deep-set eyes glinted silver. He slid his hand from her elbow and brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. His fingers lingered on her skin. She wanted to lean into the caress. She wanted him to kiss her.

A clap of thunder crashed outside. Beth moved closer to Trevor. She wanted his arms around her. Wanted to feel his power and strength. She wanted him to protect her.

What the heck was the matter with her? Beth didn't need a man's protection. She didn't need a man's strength either. She'd been doing fine on her own, damn it. She was not going to give in to the moment. She pushed away from Trevor.

"Beth?" His deep voice sent slivers of desire raging through her bloodstream.

She stepped quickly away. Away from the lust and the lure of Trevor Callahan.

Another boom of thunder made her jump. She gripped the counter top and bit back a moan.

"You all right?" Trevor asked.

Beth heard the concern in his voice. She forced a smile. "I don't know what's wrong. I'm usually not such a ninny."

"Sit down. I'll get the flashlight and candles." He helped her to a chair and dropped a gentle kiss on top of her head. "I'll be right back."

He took the light with him, leaving Beth alone in the growing darkness. No, she usually didn't act like a ninny. She prided herself on her calmness. But she'd never been stranded alone with a man before. An extremely good-looking man. One she had the hots for. One who felt the same way about her. Beth had a feeling it was going to be a long, long night. And not in a good way.

### CHAPTER TEN

Trev rummaged around in the pantry, searching for the candles, trying not to think about the woman sitting out there in the kitchen waiting for his return. Beth was obviously nervous about the storm. And probably being alone together in the house was giving her the jitters, too. He could relate to that.

He pointed the beam of light over the shelves, back and forth, until he spotted the candles, a lighter and another flashlight. He gathered them up, then did one more sweep of the shelves and found something that might help calm them both.

"Success," he called, emerging from the pantry with his booty. He dumped everything on the table and shoved the flashlight at Beth. "Here, hold this while I light the candles."

She held the light with one hand and picked up a canister with the other. "What's this?" She pointed the light to the label. "Hot cocoa? You want hot cocoa in the middle of May? We're in a thunderstorm not a blizzard."

Trev set the candles on the table. "You do have a smart mouth, don't you?"

She shrugged and grinned. Damn, he liked it when she grinned. "I can't help it," she said. "So, what's with the cocoa? Wouldn't wine be a better choice? We _are_ adults, you know."

"Don't remind me." Her eyes widened and she looked away, but not before he detected a blush visible even in the dim light. Beth was sexy and adorable. A dangerous combination. "Maybe later we'll have some wine," he said. On second thought, that might not be a good idea.

Trev grabbed the lighter and pushed a candle to the center of the table. "When I was a kid, Bonita made hot cocoa for me during bad storms."

Beth turned back toward him and helped arrange the other candles. "Because you were scared?"

"Yeah. The cocoa made me feel better. I thought it might help you, since you're so jumpy."

Trev lit four candles and set them around the kitchen. Then he came back to the table for the cocoa. "Luckily, we have a gas stove. I'll find a pan and get the milk. It won't take long."

"Trevor?"

"Hmm?" He searched the cabinets for a saucepan, set it on the stove, then got the milk from the fridge.

She didn't say anything. The silence behind him grew thick. He turned toward Beth and nearly keeled over.

_Aw, hell._ He was in trouble. She was looking at him with shining eyes. Good God, he hoped she wasn't going to cry.

Several wisps of hair had come loose from her ponytail. The candlelight picked out glistening highlights of ruby-red in the curly tresses. Her smooth skin glowed luminescent in the gold shimmering light. She literally took his breath away. He wanted her so much his teeth hurt. Probably from clenching them so tightly. He hurt down south, too. Aching and throbbing.

Damn.

Trev cleared his throat. He was trying to be a gentleman, but he could feel his control slipping. "Something wrong?"

She frowned. "You're being nice to me. You said you're never nice. You lied, didn't you?"

"I didn't lie." Nice wasn't how he'd describe himself. He didn't do nice. Usually. But he'd been doing a lot of things differently these past couple of weeks. Everything seemed ass-backward since he'd met Beth.

Trev prepared the cocoa and set the pan over a low flame, stirring so it wouldn't scorch. He kept his back to Beth. They had an agreement about no kissing and no touching. He'd stepped over the line that day in the bookmobile. Ever since, Beth had silently redrawn the boundaries. And he hadn't pushed to cross over.

The cocoa simmered on the stove. The dark house and pouring rain cut them off from the outside world. The intimacy of the situation was getting to him. Trev was afraid he'd forget his resolve and the self-imposed boundaries. He was afraid he'd forget how much he liked and respected Beth Evans. Afraid if they kissed again, he wouldn't be able to hold back.

"If you didn't lie, why are you being so nice to me?" Her low throaty voice slid over him.

_Because he wanted her in his bed?_ It was more than physical and that scared the hell out of him.

"Let's just say I'm usually not nice, end of discussion. Okay?" He poured cocoa in two mugs and set them on the table. "No marshmallows, but it should do the trick." God, he hoped it would perform magic and calm his runaway libido.

Beth took a sip and smiled. "It's perfect. Thanks." She licked the chocolate mustache from her top lip.

Trev followed the movement of her tongue. Oh, yeah. He was definitely hurting below the belt. She was killing him. Beth was both innocent and tempting. Strong and vulnerable. An intriguing combination of youth and experience. He'd never met anyone like her before. Never wanted anyone like he wanted her.

"Aren't you going to drink your cocoa?" Beth took another sip. "It's good." She licked her lip again.

Trev gripped his mug tightly. Damn, she was sexy without even trying. All his good intentions were being shot straight to hell.

He took a drink and watched her over the rim of his mug. Beth's beautiful eyes held wariness and caution, as well as yearning. He knew without a shadow of doubt that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He thought he might die if he didn't kiss her again soon.

A loud knock rattled the back door, causing them both to jump. _Thank you, God_. Trev bolted out of his chair and jerked open the door. Leo stood on the threshold in a yellow rain slicker.

"Come on in," Trev said.

"Sorry to bother you, son. Ma'am." He tipped his head and water trickled on the floor. "You gotta come to the barn, boy. Thunder's layin' down in his stall."

"His stall?" Trev asked. "I thought he stayed out in the pasture."

"Usually, he does," Leo said. "But he came up to the corral this morning, I guess to get out of the rain. He was acting mighty strange and I put him in a stall. Rubbed him down, gave him some feed. He didn't eat much and just sort of stood there quiet-like. So I let him be."

"Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?" Trev's gut twisted in a knot. He knew Thunder was old, but damn, he'd just found him again.

"It's been raining buckets and I've had my hands full. Anyways, I'm telling you now. Thunder's in his stall and he don't look none too good."

"Have you called the vet?" Beth asked. She came to stand next to Trev.

Leo nodded. "I called, but the doc cain't come out. The roads are too muddy. We don't get much rain here, but when we do, it pours. Son, you brought Thunder into this world. Seems to me you ought to be there when he leaves it."

"It's that bad?"

"I'm going to have to put him down. You coming?"

The knot in Trev's gut twisted tighter. "I'll get a slicker and meet you out there."

"Hurry, there's no time to waste." Leo hunched his shoulders and disappeared into the torrent of rain.

Trev closed the door and turned to Beth. "I don't know how long this will take. You going to be okay, here in the dark?"

"I'm coming with you."

"You don't need to." But for some reason, he wanted her to go with him. He wanted her by his side as he faced whatever had to be faced.

"I'm going." She laid a hand on his arm. "I can't let you do this alone."

A warm feeling of relief flooded through him. "Thanks," he said. Later, he would analyze what it all meant. But not now. Not now.

****

It was close to midnight when Trevor and Beth trudged back to the house. The thunder and lightning had moved off to the distance; the rain had eased to a steady drizzle.

The electricity was still out. Trev lit the candles again around the kitchen. Beth plunked down in a chair and he collapsed in one next to her. He felt numb and drained.

_Thunder was dead_.

A little over a week ago, Trev hadn't known the horse was still at the ranch. Hadn't thought about it really, one way or another. But finding out Hank had kept Thunder all these years had made Trevor acknowledge feelings he'd buried deep inside.

Beth picked up her cup of cocoa and scrunched her nose in disgust. "Want me to make a new batch?"

"I need something stronger." He needed something to warm the frozen wasteland of his soul.

Beth scraped back her chair and stood. "How about bourbon?"

Trev grabbed her wrist as she started past. "How about you?"

" _Me_?"

"I . . . Just let me hold you a minute." He needed her comforting touch. Trev pulled her down on his lap and wrapped his arms around her, burying his head in the crook between her shoulder and neck. He breathed in her soft scent. Damn, he felt like crying. He hadn't cried since his parents had died.

Slowly, tentatively, Beth's arms came around him; one hand gently cradled the back of his head. Trev tightened his grip. The world as he knew it was changing. Too fast. Hank was dead and now Thunder was, too. Trev's feelings and emotions were all jumbled. His feelings for Beth were changing. He was starting to realize it was more than physical. He didn't want it to be more than physical.

"It's okay," Beth said softly. He felt her lips on his hair, the strength of her embrace. "Everything's going to be okay."

He raised his head and looked deeply into her eyes. She moved her hand from his hair and touched his cheek. Fire ignited in his belly. Trev slowly turned his head and kissed her palm. Beth's breath shuddered. She didn't jerk her hand away, but instead, rubbed her finger over his lips. Back and forth, back and forth.

Beth's soft bottom rested on his growing hardness. Trev wanted her with a yearning so intense, so fierce and unbridled, it left him shaking. He'd sought Beth's healing touch, her comfort, her warmth. Somehow, it had morphed into a burning, churning passion.

"Beth . . ." His voice was ragged with suppressed desire.

"Shhh." She leaned forward and touched her lips to his in a gentle kiss. He'd never tasted anything as sweet and hot as Beth's mouth. He wanted more. Needed more.

He fisted one hand in her hair, angled her head and plunged his tongue deeper. She responded with a fervor that put a stranglehold on his groin. She wiggled on his lap and he gripped her thighs to still the movement before he lost complete control.

She pulled back and stared at him, her eyes glazed, her breath rasping in her lungs.

"I want you, Beth."

"I want you, too."

"I don't do happy-ever-after," he warned.

She hesitated for a bare second, then lifted her chin. "Maybe I don't want happy-ever-after."

"Yes, you do." He rubbed his hands over her thighs, reveling in the feel of her beneath his fingers.

Her shoulders sagged. "You're right. I do."

Disappointment tugged low in his gut. Trev eased Beth off his lap and set her in her own chair. "Of course, you do. You deserve a happy-ever-after."

Again, the barest hesitation. "Yes, I do," she said. "And I intend to have it. But not necessarily with you."

"What do you mean by that?"

She bit her bottom lip. Trev wanted to soothe it with his tongue, take it in his mouth and suck gently, suck hard. He needed to taste her sweetness again. He sat back in his chair. He was trying to do the right thing here. He was trying to abide by their agreement. Taking Beth to bed was not a smart thing to do. But God, he needed her. Needed the comfort and warmth of her body.

"Look," Beth said. "I confused lust for love once before, but I'm older now. I won't get them mixed up again. I haven't been attracted to anyone since before Mags was born." She paused and took a deep breath. "I'm not very experienced. You might be disappointed."

He nearly choked. "You can't be serious. After what happened the other night in Hank's study? After what happened just now? You won't disappoint me, sweetheart. I can promise you that, at least." He scooted his chair closer and rubbed his knuckles gently across her cheek. "I don't want to hurt you, Beth."

"You won't hurt me," she whispered. "I want this. I want you."

"Are you sure?" He held his breath.

When she nodded, Trev let it out in a whoosh. He stood and offered his hand. Beth took it and he hauled her out of her chair and pulled her against him. She felt soft and firm and wonderful in his arms. "God, you don't know how much I want this." He kissed her forehead, her nose, the corners of her mouth. Beth shivered deliciously in response to his touch.

Trev covered her mouth, intending another tender kiss. But the kiss turned savage and all coherent thoughts exited his brain. All that mattered was Beth, in his arms, kissing him back with an intensity that left no doubt where this would end.

She fumbled with the buttons of his shirt. Every touch of her fingers stoked the fire building inside him. She tasted so sweet, so hot. He was burning up.

_Slow down_. He needed to slow down or he was going to set her on the table and take her right here, right now.

She finished with the buttons and fanned her fingers across his chest, almost eroding his control to breaking point.

He hurriedly shrugged out of the shirt and let it fall to the floor. Beth rubbed her hands over his chest, tangling her fingers in the short hair, kissing his collarbone.

Trev swallowed a groan. He undid her ponytail and buried his fingers in the glorious curls. Beth wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed her way up his neck to his mouth again. Their tongues mated. He tightened his grip on her and plunged deeper into her moist warm mouth.

Beth's kisses were addictive. He had to have more. He brushed a hand over her breast and she moaned into his mouth. Bare skin. He had to touch her bare skin.

He pulled back and fingered the hem of her shirt. She nodded and he quickly slipped the T-shirt over her head, revealing a black lace bra. He remembered her black satin panties from this afternoon and wanted to see them. Hell, he wanted all her clothes off. Right now.

Beth hooked her arms around Trev's neck and latched onto his mouth again. He pulled her close so her breasts rubbed against his chest. He grasped her bottom and ground his arousal into her softness.

She sucked his tongue and he nearly lost it. Damn, if he didn't slow things down, it was going to be over before it got good and started. Trev wanted it to last and last. Beth's reservations had disappeared, replaced with a wild abandon he'd only dreamed about.

Trev clasped Beth's shoulders and held her body away from his. They were both breathing heavily. Her green eyes blazed with passion. He rested his forehead against hers, his eyes falling to her beautiful breasts. He couldn't resist touching them. He eased back the lacy cups of the bra and brushed his thumbs over the taut nipples. Beth's breath hissed in a sharp inhale.

"We need to take this upstairs," he said, stroking her soft flesh. "We need a bed."

"A bed sounds good." Beth arched into his caress and ran her hands down his biceps. She tiptoed and gave him another quick kiss, then let go. She picked up both their shirts and stood there clutching them to her breasts.

With her eyes opened wide and her hair tumbling to her shoulders, Beth suddenly looked vulnerable and very young.

_Damn_.

"We don't have to do this, Beth. I want you to be sure. There's no turning back. Make absolutely certain this is what you want, because this is all I can give you."

Beth took his hand in hers. She kissed his knuckles one by one and smiled at him through her lashes. Oh, man, he was a goner. He was toast. He was in so much trouble. But he didn't care. He wanted Beth. He needed Beth.

"I'm sure, Trevor. I'm very, very sure."

Trev grabbed the flashlight and handed it to Beth, then picked up two candles and the lighter. "Lead the way, sweetheart."

The house was dark. It wasn't raining as hard as before, but the sound of water running off the roof into the gutters was loud in the hushed atmosphere surrounding them.

Beth's heart pounded in her throat as she walked through the hallway and mounted the stairs. She felt self-conscious with her shirt off, with Trevor right behind her, half-dressed. She'd never done this kind of thing before. Well, technically she had. But she'd been a lot younger and she'd thought she'd been in love.

She wasn't in love this time. It was lust. And comfort. Trevor needed her. He'd been through an emotional ordeal losing Thunder. And if Beth could ease his pain a little . . . She cared for him, but it wasn't love, she assured herself. She would keep things simple. Nothing wrong in giving in to the powerful chemistry sizzling between her and Trevor Callahan. She wanted this. She wanted Trevor to make love to her.

Okay, it wouldn't really be making love. It would be sex, just unadulterated sex.

At the top of the stairs, Beth stopped. His bed or hers?

Trevor nudged her forward. "My room," he whispered, his hot breath scorching her ear.

The beam of light illuminated Trevor's bedroom. Whenever Beth cleaned in here, she wondered why Hank had left his grandson's room untouched. It looked like a shrine.

"Help me light the candles," Trevor said. "Shine the light over here."

He stood at the bedside table. Beth tossed the shirts on a chair and aimed the beam of light. Trevor lit the candles, took the flashlight from Beth and snapped it off. He set it on the table, then gathered her in his arms.

The candles flickered in the darkness. Beth had vacuumed and dusted Trevor's room earlier in the day. She'd imagined being with him like this. When she'd made the bed, erotic images had flitted through her mind. Now, her fantasy was playing out. It was coming true and going be real.

"Beth, you sure you're okay with this?" Trevor asked. "We can still stop if you want."

She searched his handsome face. "You're being nice again."

"I want this to be good for you." He touched his lips to hers. He was so strong, yet tender at the same time. And he tasted so good. A hint of chocolate. A lot of him. Irresistible. Decadent. Delicious.

"It is good," she said. "More than good." Her knees wobbled, but Trevor kept her standing upright. He deepened the kiss and she felt the hooks of her bra give way. Trevor eased the straps from her shoulders, tracing his fingers down her arms. She shrugged the bra off and her nipples tightened. Anticipation had her panting for breath. She wanted to feel Trevor's hands on her. She wanted him to touch her all over.

He held her away from him a bit. "Beautiful." He bent and took her right nipple in his mouth and suckled. Sharp shards of pleasure radiated to Beth's core.

She held Trevor's head to her breast, her hands on his hair and neck. She loved the feel of his short hair beneath her fingers. Loved the feel of his mouth moving exquisitely over her bare skin.

He cupped her left breast in his big hand, callused but not too rough. He rolled the nipple between his thumb and forefinger, keeping time to the rhythm of his mouth on the other.

Beth's body throbbed in response. The steady beat of rain tapped on the roof. Candle shadows danced on the walls. Trevor's aftershave smelled musky, sexy.

A sweet, languor stole over her, making her bones feel like mush. Her head tilted, her back arched. She thrust her breasts upward, seeking more pressure, more pleasure, more everything from Trevor's hot lips.

He sucked harder and Beth nearly collapsed on the floor. Trevor supported her with his free hand on the small of her back, urging her to arch even more. He kissed his way to the other breast and licked and sucked. Beth gripped his head tightly. She couldn't stand it. Just when she thought she was going to explode, Trev moved downward, his mouth leaving a wet hot path on her stomach.

"Trevor, I need to sit or lie down . . . I can't stand any longer."

"All right." He kissed her belly button, then pushed her toward the bed and eased her down. He unfastened her sandals, grasping her ankles and rubbing her feet. He kneaded the arches and she moaned.

"Feel good?" He held both feet to his chest, massaging them with clever fingers.

"Oh, yeah," Beth said. "Wonderful, in fact." After a minute or two, she pulled her feet from his grasp. She leaned back on the bed and lifted her arms to him.

Trevor didn't miss a beat. His eyes gleamed beneath heavy lids as he removed his shoes and socks. His hands went to his belt and he slowly unbuckled it, his gaze never wavering from Beth's. He slid the zipper down and in one smooth motion, shucked his pants and briefs.

Beth's breath caught in her lungs. The man was beautiful. Big and beautiful. And tonight, he was all hers. She wanted him. And he wanted her. There was no hiding that fact.

He stood there looking at her. His big muscled body made Beth feel small and feminine. His obvious desire made her mouth go dry.

Trevor knelt on the bed, unbuttoned her shorts, peeled them and her panties down her legs and dropped both on the floor. He leaned toward the bedside table, opened the drawer and took out a box of condoms.

"You always travel with those?" Beth watched him open the box and take out a couple of square packets, placing them within easy reach.

"I like to be prepared in case something comes up." He smiled wickedly as he braced himself over her. He was smiling a lot more lately. And it made her insides all trembly.

"I'm glad," she said softly, "because something's definitely come up." Reaching down, she wrapped her fingers around him and stroked his firm jutting flesh.

He growled deep in his throat and jerked her to him, crushing her breasts to his chest. He covered her mouth in a hot brutal kiss, plunging his tongue inside and thrusting his arousal against her hand.

Beth gloried in the sensations swirling inside and out. He felt like velvet and steel, heat and passion, want and need.

Trevor slid his hand between them and cupped her, brushing his fingers through her curls, slipping a finger inside her body, moving it in and out, in and out.

Beth tightened her hold on him and he froze.

Clamping a strong hand around her wrist, he moved it away from his body. "As incredible as that feels, I think you'd better stop."

"Oh?" Beth smiled a sultry temptress's smile.

Trev pushed her into the mattress, covering the length of her body with his and kissing her with renewed fervor.

She felt perfect beneath him, better than he'd imagined. Their bodies complemented each other, like they were meant to fit together and be one. His arousal pushed between the juncture of her thighs, her firm breasts rubbed against his chest.

Trev moved over her, imitating what they were about to do. He kissed her throat, her collarbone, her shoulder. He felt Beth's fingers on the back of his neck playing with the hair at his nape. When she trailed a hot path across his skin and rubbed his earlobes, a tortuous pleasure shot to his groin, making him swell even harder against her softness.

He wanted to make Beth shatter in orgasm again, like she'd done in Hank's study. Except this time, they would complete the act and Trev would feel her contract around him as he exploded inside her.

Kissing his way to her breasts, he teased the rosy nipples until they puckered and tightened. He laved his tongue around and around the areolas and beneath the rounded curves, then back up to the nipples. He lingered above the sensitive buds, blowing his hot breath over them, kneading the soft flesh, squeezing and pushing the nipples close to his lips.

Beth wiggled on the bed, arching high, trying to reach his mouth, moaning her need. "Please, Trevor. Please."

"What do you want, Beth? Tell me what you want." He flicked his tongue lightly over one nipple, then the other. He blew again and nestled his face in the valley of her breasts, kissing and licking hard.

"I want . . ." She groaned when he reached down and brushed his fingers against her aroused flesh.

"Is this what you want?" He rubbed her soft curls again and Beth bucked under his fingers. Trev couldn't remember another woman being so honestly responsive to his touch. He couldn't remember any woman wanting him and not his money. Beth wanted him, just him. Just Trevor.

"Yes . . . I want . . ." She thrashed her head back and forth against the covers, lifting her bottom, seeking more. "I want you," she said. "I need you inside me. Hurry, Trevor."

"Not yet, sweetheart. Not yet." He plunged his finger deep inside her and she whimpered. She was hot and wet and the sexy sound almost made him explode. He took one of her nipples in his mouth and sucked hard. At the same time, he rubbed her most sensitive flesh with soft feathery strokes.

Beth almost came off the bed. She groaned in pleasure. Trev moved lower and gave her the most intimate kiss of all. She tasted of woman and sex. _And Beth_.

She screamed his name and her body convulsed in orgasm. "Trevor! I want you inside of me! _Now!_ " She reached down and took hold of him. Stroked him. Cupped him.

Trev grabbed a condom, ripped open the package and sheathed himself. He rose above Beth, his arms bracing his weight and in one swift thrust, he was inside her magnificent heat and dampness. The aftershocks of her climax milked his last reserves of control.

She wrapped her long legs around his waist and rocked against him. He pushed in and out, in and out, deeper and deeper. He withdrew only to plunge back inside until he was buried to the hilt. Again and again, bare skin slapped against bare skin.

Beth's breasts mesmerized him as they jiggled with the movement of his thrusts. He bowed his back and bent to kiss one, then the other. He straightened until he was kneeling, took hold of her thighs and spread her legs wide, still rocking against her. With eyes locked on hers, he licked the pad of his thumb and touched her, rubbing swiftly and softly, round and round.

Beth's climax was instantaneous and powerful. The strong contractions brought Trev down on top of her again. He ground himself against her, in her, striving to become one with her.

Beth smoothed her hands over his jaws and looked at him through passion-glazed eyes. When she smiled, Trev was lost. One more thrust threw him over the edge and into oblivion.

****

Sex had never been this good, Trev thought. Never. Blood thrummed in his head as he came back to earth after a heart-stopping, earth-shattering orgasm, the likes of which he'd never experienced before.

He was still lying on top of Beth, his head resting above her shoulder on the pillow. She hadn't murmured a protest, so he guessed she didn't mind. He lacked the energy to ask if he was too heavy. In a minute, he would move. He needed a little time to regain his equilibrium. And the use of his body. Right now, he was paralyzed with pleasure.

"Wow," Beth said. "That was . . . amazing." She raked her nails lazily back and forth across his shoulder blades. "Truly absolutely amazing."

"Mm-hm." Trev couldn't speak yet. He felt Beth's heart rapidly beating under his chest and her warm body cradling him.

"I guess I was worried for nothing," she said. Her fingers slow danced back up to the nape of his neck, leaving a tingling sensation in every nerve ending.

"You were worried?" He still couldn't lift his head.

Beth nodded. He felt the movement next to him on the pillow. "About my inexperience? Remember?"

"Sweetheart, I can't remember my telephone number right now." He kissed her collarbone.

"So, it was good for you, too?" she asked.

Trev raised himself on his elbows and kissed her nose. Her gorgeous green eyes held worry and vulnerability. Even though Beth had been married and had a child, she was a neophyte when it came to sexual experience, which was fine by him. He felt an overwhelming sense of possessiveness and protectiveness wash through him. "You were good, Beth. Wonderful. Mind-blowing, in fact."

Beth draped her arms around his neck. Pulled him in for a long, lingering kiss. "Thanks. You were pretty terrific, yourself."

"You liked it, huh?" He moved his lower body against her suggestively. To his surprise, he felt himself grow hard again.

"I liked it all right. I can't wait to see more." She answered his moves with some of her own and smiled a megawatt smile that sucker-punched him in the gut.

"You don't have to wait," he said.

"Really? That's good." She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him in deeper.

Trev kissed her hard, almost savagely. And she kissed him back just as hard, just as savagely.

Damn, he had it bad. When he could think straight again, he'd have to assess for damages. Because Trev had the sinking suspicion that Beth Evans had resurrected his so-called non-existent heart and laid siege to his soul. He was scared there was nothing he could do about it. Scarier still, he was afraid he didn't want to try.

****

After they made love again, Beth lay on the bed with Trevor, her head resting on his chest, his heart beating in her ear. "The rain's finally stopped."

"Mmm." He pulled her tighter against him.

Beth nestled closer. She refused to have any regrets. She'd deal with the aftermath later. "How long do you think before the lights come back on? It's getting hot in here."

A chuckle rumbled deep in his throat and he kissed the top of her head. "I don't think it's hot in here because the air-conditioner is off." The man had a self-satisfied tone in his voice that made Beth's heart happy knowing she had a part in putting it there. Gone for the moment was the sadness that had shrouded him since they'd witnessed Thunder being put down.

Beth lifted her head and looked at him. "You think we generated all this heat?"

He smiled. "Oh, yeah. Most definitely."

She loved it when Trevor smiled. It was such a rare occurrence, but lately it was happening more often. His smiles made her blood hum and her heart turn over.

Careful, Beth. Gotta keep it simple. Enjoy the moment and don't confuse the issue.

She scrunched her nose at Trevor. "Seriously, aren't you hot? I sure am hot."

"Sweetheart, you are most definitely hot." Trev ran his hand over her waist, down her bare hip and thigh. Beth shivered and hiked her leg higher across his body.

"What are you going to do about it?" she asked. Being with Trevor made her feel bold and a little bit naughty.

He smiled a slow sexy smile. Different from the amused version and much more potent. "I can think of a couple of things."

Before Beth could respond, Trevor flipped her on her back and covered her body with his. He grasped her hands, lifted them above her head, and held them there while he rocked his lower body against her. Suggestively. Sensuously. Deliciously.

She swallowed a moan. Just like that, the fire burned again. But this was a slow burn. Trevor entered her with excruciating tenderness. He nibbled behind her ear and down her throat, over her collarbone and in the hollow under her arm. Every inch of skin came alive.

Beth gave herself up to the sensations, focusing on Trevor's caresses and kisses. Loving the feel of his muscled body weighing her down on the mattress. Trusting him enough to enjoy the pseudo-bondage of being held captive and letting him have his wicked way with her.

After the passion was spent and they lay panting for breath, Beth silently repeated her mantra over and over to herself: _Keep it simple. Keep it simple. Keep it simple_.

### CHAPTER ELEVEN

The Memorial Day Festival was in full swing. Beth looked around the high school gym and breathed a huge sigh of relief. The bleachers were packed with enthusiastic spectators. The T-shirts had sold out in fifteen minutes and the concessions were selling like crazy. There was still a line of people waiting to buy tickets for the donkey basketball game.

The tantalizing smells of popcorn, nachos and hot dogs floated on the air and the gym reverberated with lively tunes played by the Stone Creek high school marching band. The crowd buzzed with excitement and anticipation.

"Mommy! Mommy! Look what Nana bought me." Maggie ran toward Beth, dragging her grandmother and grandfather along behind her.

"That's a cool balloon, pumpkin." Beth turned and smiled at her parents. "Hey, Mom. Dad. Thanks for watching Mags today."

"Our pleasure," Nancy said. "Looks like quite a crowd, dear."

Warren Prescott beamed. "I'm not surprised. Our Bethie knows how to organize and get things done."

"Thanks, Dad. I'll tell you a secret though. I was worried about how this would go over."

"Well, it's gone over big," Warren said. "You'll make a tidy little sum for the library today."

"I hope so." Beth glanced at her watch. "Y'all better go find a place in the stands. I'll see you in a few minutes." She bent down and kissed Mags. "Be good for Nana and Pawpaw."

"She's always good," Nancy said.

"I'm going to cheer for Trevor's team," Maggie said. "I sure hope he wins."

"Come along, sweet cakes. Let's go find our seats." Warren hoisted his granddaughter to his shoulders, where she could ride and see everything better.

Mags laughed with delight. "Look, Mommy! Look at me!"

"Hold on tight, baby."

"I will. Don't worry."

Beth watched all three of them disappear into the crowd. After thirty years of marriage, her parents still held hands at gatherings like this. She hoped one day to find that kind of love. A love so strong and true that there was no doubt, no confusion, no misgivings.

Beth wished she could trust her feelings for Trevor. She was desperately trying to keep things simple, but her heart was refusing to cooperate. She shook her head. Better go outside and check on the players. See if everything was okay.

She tried to ignore the little thump in her chest that came from knowing Trevor would be out there, too. She hadn't seen him since early this morning when she'd left his bed. She blushed when she thought of the nights she'd spent in Trevor's arms since last Thursday. They were always careful to wait until Mags was asleep before indulging in mind-boggling sex.

Oh, yeah. Beth was definitely having a difficult time keeping her emotions in check. It was easy to say it was only sex, but her heart kept insisting it was more.

Trevor had warned her he had nothing to give. Beth knew he was wrong. He had so much to offer. He said he had no heart, but he was so kind to Mags. He said he never helped anyone, yet he'd helped Beth in many ways, from cooking dinner to agreeing to play in the game today.

He believed women only liked him for his money. That one made Beth feel a little guilty. She wanted Hank's money for the library, but she didn't think she was going to get it. She was afraid when the will was read, Trevor would feel betrayed. Maybe she should tell him about Hank's bequest. Try to explain. But she'd promised the old man she wouldn't tell.

Good lord, what had happened to keeping things simple?

Beth pushed open the gym doors leading outside and smiled at the organized chaos. The Slam-Donkey Company had hauled the animals to Stone Creek in a big air-conditioned trailer. There seemed to be donkeys all over the place outside the school--she counted twelve and there were more in the trailer.

"Hey, Beth! Over here." Gloria Jamail stood in the middle of the parking lot, handing out helmets to the players.

Beth looked around for Trevor as she walked over to join Gloria. Her friend shot her a knowing look. "He's over there with Dave. The ref's explaining the rules to them."

Stone Creek's mayor stepped up ready to claim his helmet. "Well, Beth. Looks like you've done it again," he said. "This fund-raiser should help you get that new library built."

"We have a long way to go," Beth said. "I still want a bond proposal on the ballot in the next election. This town deserves a large modern library. Especially with so many people moving here to retire."

The mayor shook his head and smiled. "You never pass up an opportunity, do you? Tell you what. Come to the next council meeting and we'll see what we can do."

Beth smiled. "Thanks, Mr. Nichols. I'll do that."

Gloria issued the last of the helmets and Beth greeted and thanked some of the players, wishing them good luck with the game. She didn't get a chance to speak to Trevor, but when she caught his eye, he winked. Her stomach dipped in response. She gave him a thumbs-up for good luck.

Gloria nudged Beth with her elbow as they followed the players and donkeys into the gym. "Want to tell me what's going on between you two? And don't you dare say 'nothing.'"

Beth shrugged. "It's not serious, if that's what you mean. We're enjoying each other's company while he's at the ranch. That's all."

"Oh, really?" Gloria grinned. "So you decided to take my advice, huh?"

"Don't sound so pleased with yourself." Beth led the way to the bleachers. "Save me a place, will you? Near my mom and dad, if possible. I'm going to check on the concession stands. Want anything?"

Gloria dug in her pocket for money. "Get me a Diet Coke and a bag of peanuts."

"Will do."

When Beth returned to the gym, she searched the stands for Gloria. Her friend stood in the center section, waving both hands in the air to get her attention. Beth climbed the bleachers, careful not to spill the drinks, popcorn and peanuts. She settled beside her parents, next to Gloria. On the row in front, Mags sat with Shana and the other Jamail children.

"Look, Mommy. There's Trevor." Maggie pointed to the far side of the gym.

"And my daddy, too," Shana said. "He looks funny in that hat. The donkeys look funny with those little booties on their feet."

"That's to protect the gym floor," Maggie said.

"Be quiet, girls," Gloria scolded. "They're about to start."

The band finished their last song and the announcer's voice echoed through the gym. "Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls! The Slam Donkey Company proudly presents a one-of-a-kind, totally awesome sporting event for your entertainment pleasure."

Beth couldn't keep her eyes off Trevor, standing tall and handsome despite the protective headgear.

"The players and donkeys will play two games," the announcer continued. "We have four teams made up of prominent citizens of this wonderful community and our specially trained basketball-playing donkeys."

Gloria leaned toward Beth. "He's laying it on thick, isn't he?"

"Shhh, that's part of the show." Beth wondered how Trevor felt being lumped together with the prominent citizens of Stone Creek. He was so adamant about selling the ranch. And when he did, she would never see him again.

The announcer introduced the players and donkeys by name and explained the rules. "And now, are you ready to have some fun?" he asked the audience.

The band started a drum roll and the crowd yelled "Yes!"

"Are you ready to see some action?"

"Yes!"

"Then, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Let the games begin!"

"Finally," Gloria whispered. "Looks like Trevor and Dave aren't playing in the first game."

Beth nodded. "That's probably good. They'll get to see how it works, pick up a few pointers."

"Yeah, this should be hilarious," Gloria said. "I mean how many of these guys have ever ridden a donkey? Outside, they were saying that some of the donkeys will suddenly stop and refuse to move, or buck off their riders."

A cold sliver of apprehension slid down Beth's spine. "I sure hope no one gets hurt."

Gloria patted her arm. "You worry too much. Everything will be fine."

Beth shrugged. "We're about to find out."

As the game commenced, some of the players passed the ball back and forth, while others tried to make their donkeys move around the court. A few had a hard time staying seated. The crowd roared with laughter when one donkey toppled the police chief onto his backside. Thank goodness he wasn't injured, and the look on his face was priceless. Beth sat back and relaxed. This _was_ going to be fun.

****

Trev was not having fun. He wondered, not for the first time this Memorial Day weekend, what the hell had come over him to agree to participate in this silly game. Beth Evans. That's what had come over him. And under him. And beside him. The new sexual turn their relationship had taken was great, but it was making everything even more complicated and confusing. She was driving him certifiably insane.

The woman had worked her way past his defenses. The kid too. Damn, he was going to miss them when he left Stone Creek. He was beginning to think he didn't want to leave.

Oh yeah, Callahan. Certifiably insane, for damn sure.

After standing on the sidelines watching the first game for almost an hour, it was finally time for Trev to play. He hoped like hell he didn't make a complete fool of himself. And he hoped to God he could remember he was playing with a team. He'd always had trouble with that concept.

Dave stood beside him, adjusting his helmet. "Ready, buddy?"

Trev grimaced. "Yeah, ready to get even with you for this."

Dave grinned. "Paybacks are hell, aren't they?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I've been waiting years for retribution. Remember when you locked me in the girls' locker room?"

"Damn, Dave. That was twenty years ago. We were kids, for Christ's sake."

"Hey, I was scarred, man."

"Right. If I remember correctly, you didn't try very hard to escape. You have no reason to be getting back at me like this."

"Suck it up, Callahan. Now, let's go out there and play. And remember to pass the damn ball."

Trev followed Dave onto the court. He couldn't believe he was on the back of a donkey. He concentrated on keeping his balance, because he sure didn't want to fall on his butt like the police chief.

He reminded himself he was doing this for Beth. Maybe he could make a couple of baskets and score some points. Would she cheer for him? Would she be proud? Why did he care?

The announcer finished his pre-game spiel and the mayor won the toss. He passed the ball to one of his teammates. The councilman took it down court, passed it to another player. Trev watched the guy twist, catch the ball, then slide right off the donkey's back. _Ouch_.

The ball was loose and Dave dismounted and grabbed it. He dropped it twice before finally remounting.

Trev sidled up beside him.

Dave grinned. "You and me, buddy. Go deep. I'll pass it. Try for three points."

"Not greedy, are we?"

"Hey, might as well go for it."

"Right."

Urging his donkey toward the goal, Trev successfully stopped the animal on the three-point line. Then Dave dropped the damn ball. Trev groaned. The priest retrieved it and rode for the opposite goal. A nice toss and the padre scored.

The band played a victory song and the crowd went wild.

Damn.

Trev trotted over to Dave. " _What was that_?"

Dave shrugged. "I messed up. So sue me."

"Strategy isn't going to work in this game," Trev said. "Next time, go for the points."

"This is supposed to be a team effort, Callahan."

"We're on donkeys, for crying out loud."

"It's just a game, buddy."

"Yeah, right." Trev hated to lose.

On the next play, Trev saw a chance to score. He stole the ball from the mayor and took it down the court.

Dave was up ahead. "Pass, Callahan. I'm wide open. Pass the ball."

Trev didn't want to pass the ball. He wanted to score the points. This was why he hated team sports. You had to share the glory. Share the win. But there was no way in hell he could take a shot. His way was blocked. Damn.

He passed the ball to Dave. His friend neatly avoided two oncoming opponents and lobbed the ball. It swooshed through the net and the crowd cheered.

_Yes!_ Their team was winning. Trev was determined to make the next goal. He jerked on the reins, trying to get his donkey to turn around. The animal tossed its head and stood still.

Trev tried again with no success. Was he going to have to get off the damn animal and push him? This had to be the craziest thing he'd ever done in his life. Who the hell had invented donkey basketball anyway? Whoever it was, he ought to be--

Before he could finish the thought, Trev felt himself flying over the donkey's head. He hit the floor with a painful thud and suddenly everything went black.

****

Beth jumped to her feet. Her heart lodged in her throat when she saw Trevor lying on the gym floor, completely still, not moving a muscle. She held her breath when his donkey stepped perilously close to his head.

"Mommy! Is Trevor dead?" Maggie cried.

"No, baby. He's not dead." Please God, don't let him be dead. Or seriously injured. She'd never forgive herself if Trevor was badly hurt. He hadn't wanted to play, but Dave had shamed him into it. Beth knew Trev had agreed only to help her out.

"Go see about him, Mommy. Hurry! Trevor _needs_ you."

If only that were true. Beth stared down at the scene below. Why wouldn't he get up? All the players had dismounted. The refs, the company manager and the medic knelt and crouched around Trevor.

"Go on, Beth," Gloria said. "We'll watch Mags for you."

"Yes, honey," her mom told her. "Go check on Trevor."

Beth hurried down the bleachers on wobbly legs. She'd enjoyed watching Trevor play. She'd admired his athletic ability, his prowess with the ball. She'd wished that things could be different between them. And now he was hurt.

Down on the court, Beth stopped next to Dave, who was standing outside the circle of men surrounding Trevor. The medic was waving smelling salts under his nose. Trevor wrinkled his forehead, but his eyes remained closed.

"Come on, buddy. Wake up," Dave whispered under his breath.

"You think he's going to be okay?" Beth thought Trevor looked dreadfully pale.

"Sure thing. He had the wind knocked out of him, is all."

"Then why won't he wake up?"

"I don't know."

"Stand back," said the medic. "He's coming round."

Trevor's lids fluttered, then he slowly opened his eyes. Beth let out a shuddering breath. The medic checked his pupils, asked him how many fingers he was holding up, did the whole routine.

Trevor searched the faces surrounding him, then caught sight of Beth. She saw relief and something else in the gray depths of his eyes. She wanted to hold him and never let him go. He tried to rise up on his elbows.

"Easy does it," said the medic, pushing him back down. "Callahan, right?"

Trevor nodded and closed his eyes again.

Beth watched the man run his hands over Trevor's body, poking and prodding. When the medic touched his ribs, Trevor winced.

"That hurt?" He nudged the rib cage again.

Trevor hissed in a quick breath. "Give me a minute. I'll be fine."

"I don't think so," the medic said. "You're going to the hospital for observation. You took a nasty fall there."

"I don't need to go to the hospital. I'm fine, I tell you."

Beth stepped next to the medic and knelt beside Trevor. She took his hand and his eyes popped wide open.

"Beth?" He squeezed her hand.

A feeling of warmth oozed in her veins. "I'm right here."

"I've ruined the game and the fund-raiser."

"No, you haven't. They'll finish the game with one of the subs. Right now, we need to get you checked out."

"I'm fine."

"Please go," she said softly. "I'll ride in the ambulance with you. Okay?"

Trevor gripped her hand tighter and sighed. "All right. I'll go."

Beth ran to get her purse and arrange for Mags to stay with her parents. She climbed in the back of the ambulance and sat next to Trevor, holding his hand. She couldn't lie to herself any longer.

This thing she had going with Trevor Callahan? It was more than sex. More than lust and chemistry. She cared about him. Deeply.

Trevor tugged her hand and she looked down at him. He smiled that sexy smile. The one that melted her insides.

He stroked his thumb against her palm. "Don't look so glum. Everything's going to be okay. Just think. Now you can nurse me back to health. That should be right up your alley--helping someone in need."

Beth smiled. "Are you admitting you need my help?"

He lifted her hand to his lips. Tingles shimmied up her arm. "Oh, sweetheart. I need your help more than you can possibly know."

Beth's pulse leaped. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Trevor just shook his head and closed his eyes.

### CHAPTER TWELVE

It was late when they returned to the ranch from the hospital. Too late to pick up Maggie from Beth's parents' house. Trev rubbed the bindings on his chest. No broken ribs, but they hurt like hell. He tried not to think about how foolish and downright embarrassed he'd felt waking up on the gym floor with everyone staring at him.

His only thoughts at that moment centered on Beth. Where was she? He _needed_ her. He didn't want to need her, damn it.

In the last few days, they'd gone from polite strangers to lovers. They'd burned each other up as they'd given in to the raging desire between them. They were strangers no longer. What they were exactly, where they stood with one another, Trev didn't know.

"Are you hungry? I'll fix something to eat," Beth said, setting her purse on the counter. "What are you in the mood for?"

Every time Trev was near Beth, he always wanted the same thing. _Her_. He wanted to possess her, be inside of her. He walked over and nuzzled her neck from behind. "Guess what I'm in the mood for?"

She leaned against him and sighed. "Mmm . . . As much as I like what you're doing, I think we need food. And we need to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine. I told you that. The nurse told you, the doctor told you. I'm okay." He gave her one more nuzzle, then reluctantly let her go. "Make something easy and quick. We'll take the food upstairs and eat in bed."

She turned around, her eyes sleepy with passion. Beth was so honest in her response to him. She made him feel good. Made him feel better about himself. Made him feel for the first time that maybe he could love someone, depend on someone.

_Maybe._ A big maybe.

"That sounds like fun," she said, going over to the refrigerator. "Let's see. We have cheese and crackers or bologna sandwiches. Which do you prefer?"

"Both sound good."

"I thought you didn't like bologna," she said over her shoulder.

"I've developed a taste for it. Just like I've developed a taste for a certain bookmobile driver." He waggled his eyebrows and was rewarded with a blush.

"Really?" She stood with her back to the fridge.

"If you can't tell, then I've been doing something wrong these past few days. I need to rectify the situation immediately." He advanced toward her, wanting to take her in his arms. Feel that soft body against him. Lose himself in her.

Beth laughed and shook her head, holding out her hands to ward him off. "I can tell! I can tell! You've done nothing wrong and everything right. Get your mind off sex and on to food. I'm starving."

Trevor stopped inches away. He hadn't felt so alive in years. Hell, he didn't remember when he'd felt this way--free and happy. Had his luck finally changed? He felt like a different person since he'd returned to the Rocking C Ranch. He dropped a kiss on Beth's lips and turned away. "You make the sandwiches and I'll get the wine. I saw a bottle in the pantry the other day when I was looking for candles."

Twenty minutes later, they were sitting on the bed, eating a picnic dinner by candlelight.

Romantic and decadent, Beth thought.

She finished the last bite of her sandwich. Even bologna seemed romantic with Trevor lounging across from her on the bed. He looked rumpled and sexy and just a little bit dangerous. He'd unbuttoned his shirt and the bandages around his chest were the only indication that he'd had an accident. Otherwise, he seemed as fine as he kept telling her. _Oh so fine_.

She watched him swirling his wine in the goblet. He studied the dark red liquid and frowned. "I never would have thought I'd actually enjoy coming back to Stone Creek and the ranch."

"Have you enjoyed it?" Beth asked him. "Even though you lost Thunder and nearly broke your ribs, not to mention working your butt off on the house?"

"Hey, I enjoy working on the house." He took a sip of the wine. "Okay, I could have done without the first two, but the rest . . . The rest has been good."

"Now you have new memories to replace the painful ones," Beth said.

"Yeah, and I have you to thank for making that happen." Trev lifted his goblet in a silent toast.

Beth shrugged and bit into a cracker. "Glad I could help." She licked bits of crumbs and cheese from her fingers. "The pleasure was all mine."

"Not all of it, sweetheart." He chuckled. "You do like helping people, don't you?"

"What can I say? I live to serve." She placed a piece of cheese on a cracker and held it toward him. "Here, try this."

Trev grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. He took the cracker in his mouth, keeping hold of her while he chewed and swallowed. "Do you think we could create some more of those memories?" he said softly.

"Won't we hurt your ribs?"

"Not if you're on top."

The intensity in Trevor's eyes and voice sent a molten flame through her veins. Keep it simple, she reminded herself.

"At the rate we're going," she said, "we'll replace all the bad memories. Maybe then you won't want to sell the ranch, huh?"

He narrowed his eyes. "I have a feeling Maggie's not the only one who doesn't want me to sell the ranch. Is there a particular reason for that?"

Beth bit her bottom lip. She suddenly felt guilty. She hadn't gone to bed with Trevor for any reason other than to satisfy the hunger and attraction between them. And now she cared for him. More than she'd thought.

But would he believe that after Hank's will was read? When he found out what she had at stake if he sold the ranch? How in the world had she thought she could keep this simple?

Think, Beth. Think.

"Well, the Rocking C's been in your family for generations and Hank didn't want you to sell it. Owning two thousand acres is nothing to sneeze at even with all your money. I know you could buy another ranch if you decided to. But once this property leaves your possession, you may never get it back."

"I won't want it back."

"But how do you know for sure?" Beth asked. "You might change your mind."

"I'm not going to change my mind."

"Trevor, people change their minds all the time. People change period. Look how Hank changed; he mellowed as he got older and the stroke affected him, too. He once told me how he wished he had it all to do over again. He regretted treating you so harshly as a child. He said he had his reasons, but wouldn't explain them to me. Maybe you should read his journals. Maybe they would help you get over the pain."

"I don't want to discuss this," Trevor said. "I've made my decision and I'm selling the ranch. I won't change my mind."

He still held her wrist in a strong clasp. Beth searched his face. Again, she silently cursed Hank Callahan for hurting Trevor so badly. And for putting the stipulation on the money for the library. The guilt sat heavy on her stomach.

"Trevor, I need to tell you something--"

"Enough talk." He tugged her closer and wrapped his arms around her. Beth had trouble catching her breath. Guilt quickly gave way to desire. No matter how many times he kissed her and touched her, the pleasure kept getting stronger and stronger.

"Come on, sweetheart," he whispered in her ear. "Let's not waste time arguing. We have the house to ourselves tonight. Help me create some more of those good memories."

Beth sighed as his mouth sought hers in a feverish kiss. Why did everything have to be so complicated? She decided not to worry about it and just enjoy what they had for however long it lasted.

****

Trev eased out of bed, careful not to wake Beth. She was sleeping on her stomach, one bare shoulder peeking out from under the sheet, her beautiful hair splayed across the pillow. Trev's loins grew heavy just looking at her. Damn, how could he think about having sex again? He was bruised and battered and he and Beth had made love twice before falling asleep.

His chest hurt like hell. He needed another dose of painkiller. Groping in the dark for his jeans, he finally found them and slipped them on. He looked over his shoulder and saw that Beth hadn't stirred. She was one hell of a woman. Innocence and sexy temptress all rolled into one awesome package. He was going to miss her when he left Stone Creek. He was going to miss Maggie, too.

On his way to the stairs, Trev glanced toward Hank's room. Beth's words echoed in his brain and after only a moment's hesitation, he went into his grandfather's room and snatched up the journal and took it downstairs.

He set the book on the kitchen table and grabbed the bottle of pain medication they'd given him at the hospital. He chased down a couple of tablets with orange juice, while the leather journal sat there ticking like a time bomb.

Wide awake now, his mind churned with questions. Everything was changing. Losing Thunder had been like losing one of his last links to Hank. That should have made him happy, but didn't. He felt confused and angry.

_Shake it off, Callahan_.

Trev poured more juice in his glass, picked up the journal and headed for Hank's study. If he was going to read the damn thing and wrestle with demons, the study would be the best place to slug it out.

He snapped on a light and settled into an overstuffed chair in the corner near the desk. For several minutes, he stared at the leather-bound book on his lap and sipped his juice.

Would he find out the reasons for the old man's harsh treatment? Would the answers help Trev get over the past? Would it even matter?

He opened the journal and flipped through the pages from beginning to end. His grandfather's handwriting stood out bold and black. Trev's heart hammered and his chest burned. Well, damn.

He leafed through more pages. Midway through, the handwriting changed. Trev glanced at the date. That must have been when Hank had his stroke. The writing wasn't as neat, but the entries were longer. As if Hank were trying to get as much written as possible. Like he knew his days were numbered.

What could his grandfather have found to write about at such length? Did Trevor really want to know?

Beth said Hank had changed and mellowed. She'd said he'd had regrets. Her sweet voice whispered in his brain and gave him courage. Trev took a deep breath, set his juice on the table and began reading.

****

Beth woke up alone in the bed. She peeked at the clock on the nightstand: four in the morning. Where in the world was Trevor?

She stretched and realized she was naked. Gloriously, wondrously naked. With Mags gone, Beth hadn't bothered with a nightshirt. She flopped over and buried her nose in Trevor's pillow and inhaled deeply. She loved the way he smelled.

_Where was he_?

She climbed out of bed, pulled on one of Trevor's T-shirts and went to look for him. Downstairs, she searched the kitchen and the dining room. No Trevor. She glanced down the hall toward the study and sure enough, a light glimmered from the doorway.

One look inside and Beth knew something terrible was wrong. Trevor sat in the chair by the desk, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, fingers gripping his hair. His shoulders shook as if he might be crying. Beth's heart went out to him.

What had happened?

He must have sensed her presence because he lifted his head. Beth sucked in a breath. He _was_ crying. His beautiful gray eyes glistened with tears.

He muttered a curse and sat straighter in the chair. He cleared his throat, but didn't say anything.

"Trevor, what's wrong?" She rushed to his side and knelt before him. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, but something kept her from doing it. Beth had no experience with a grown man crying. Her dad never cried and she hadn't been married long enough to know if Matt cried or not. "What are you doing down here in the middle of the night?"

He viciously wiped the tears from his eyes. "Damn, Beth. Go back upstairs."

"I'm not going anywhere. And it's not a sin to cry, you know." She noticed the book in Trevor's lap. "You were reading Hank's journal? Now? At this time of night?"

He nodded.

"Did you find out why Hank treated you so badly?"

Trev closed his eyes and nodded again. He labored to pull a deep breath of air into his lungs. Beth could tell his chest was still hurting. Or maybe it was his heart.

"Want to tell me the reason?" she asked.

He didn't say anything and Beth thought he was going to try to send her away again. He gripped the journal in his hands, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. "Hank thought he was trying to protect me."

"Protect you?" Beth asked. "From what?"

"From being hurt."

"But he hurt you dreadfully. He practically abused you. Maybe not physically, but definitely emotionally."

"Hank wanted me to grow up tough. He believed caring and loving made a man weak. Hell, he drummed that into my head every day I lived with him."

"Caring and loving does not make a man weak."

Trev shrugged. "The funny thing is the son of a bitch loved me. He just had a weird way of showing it and I never realized. How could I when I felt like he hated me--that I could never please him? I thought I was a burden, that I wasn't good enough. That maybe I didn't deserve his love."

"Everyone deserves to be loved."

Trevor shook his head. "Not me, Beth. Not me."

"You can't seriously believe that. Women are drawn to you like magnets."

"That's sex, not love. They like my money."

Beth's heart bled for him. And suddenly, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that she loved Trevor Callahan. She'd been fooling herself. Again. Only this time she'd had it backwards. What she felt for Trevor wasn't just lust. She loved him, but she couldn't tell him. Not yet.

"You're wrong," she said. "I like you very much. I don't care about your money."

Trevor searched her face. "I know you don't, but I can't figure out why. Everyone has an angle. I just can't figure out yours."

"I don't have an angle." Not anymore, she amended silently. She tapped the cover of the journal. "So Hank withheld his love from you in order to protect you from being hurt. Why?"

"He wrote how my grandmother's death nearly destroyed him, because he'd loved her so much. He wrote about when my dad died, too."

"I still don't understand," Beth said. "He made you believe he didn't love you. He treated you like crap. How was that supposed to protect you?"

Trevor stared at the journal in his hands. "I'd lost both my parents when I came to live with Hank. He thought I'd suffered enough. If I didn't love, couldn't love, I'd never suffer that kind of devastating loss again."

"That's insane."

"Maybe a little."

Beth laid a hand on Trev's thigh. His jeans were undone and his bare chest rippled with strength. The bandages couldn't hide that. He was a strong man, but his painful past tortured his soul.

"What can I do to help?" she asked.

He set the journal on the table and pulled her onto his lap. He caught her hand and brought it to his mouth. "Sweet, sweet Beth. Always wanting to help."

"It's what I do. It's who I am." If only she could help Trevor. If only she could reach his heart.

He kissed each finger, then the palm of her hand. "Help me, sweet Beth. Help me forget."

She swallowed a lump in her throat. "I thought you never asked for help."

"I'm asking now." He kissed the underside of her wrist.

She touched her hand to his cheek. The stubble of his beard scratched her fingers. "You'll have to deal with this sooner or later, you know."

"I know. But not tonight, Beth. Not tonight." He slipped his hand beneath the hem of the T-shirt and smiled a wickedly sexy smile. "Are you going to help me or not?" He cupped her bottom in a soft caress and moved his hand slowly upward.

Beth groaned when he brushed her nipple with his thumb. "You know I'm a sucker for someone in need," she whispered.

"Oh, sweetheart. I'm definitely in need." He bent his head and kissed her. She felt all the pent-up emotions surging inside of him. He was hurting and seeking comfort. Every cell in her body wanted to rush to his aid.

"I need you so badly it hurts." His arms tightened around her and he deepened the kiss.

Beth's heart somersaulted at the words. She knew he was only talking about sex, but a girl could wish, couldn't she?

****

A week later, Trev and Maggie stood on the scaffold, painting the house. He'd offered to watch her while Beth went to town for groceries. The sun was shining and birds were singing. Life seemed pretty good even though it had turned upside down on him. Things hadn't been the same since he came back to Stone Creek.

Maggie dipped her brush in the paint can. "I sure wish I could fly in your airplane, Trevor."

"You do?"

"Yes, I do." Maggie sighed a big pitiful sigh as she slapped paint on the side of the house. "Riding in a plane would give me a different perspective on everything."

Trevor smiled. Talking to Maggie was like talking to a miniature adult. "I thought being up here gave you a different perspective."

"Oh, it does," Maggie assured him. "But flying in an airplane would be better."

"Have you ever flown?"

Maggie sighed again. "Nope. Hey, maybe I could go to Laredo with you to pick up Bonita? Then I could ride in your airplane."

_Aw, hell_. He should have seen that one coming. He'd put off going to Laredo, using his injury as an excuse. He wanted to keep Beth at the ranch for as long as possible. Because when Bonita returned, Beth would leave. Then Hank's will would be read, and Trev's days at the Rocking C would be numbered.

What the hell was wrong with him? When he'd first come to Stone Creek, he could barely tolerate the ranch. Now he didn't want to leave? Maybe he didn't want to sell either. He had two prospective buyers who were waiting for him to say the word. He'd put off doing that, too.

Damn. Reading Hank's journal had messed up everything. Trev's truths and beliefs no longer applied. He was still trying to grasp the astonishing concept that Hank had actually loved him--had in fact been trying to _protect_ him.

But how could his grandfather have justified treating him so harshly? How could Hank have believed he was protecting Trevor from pain, when his actions had hurt so deeply?

Hell, it was too much to take in. Too damned confusing.

All Trev knew was that Beth had somehow become his anchor and support. So he found himself taking one day at a time, postponing the trip to Laredo so she would stay at the ranch. Beth was sweet and good. Sexy, as hell. And she made him feel happy. Trev hadn't felt that way in a long time.

Maggie tugged on his shirt. "Please, Trevor? Can I go to Laredo with you?"

He looked down at the adorable little girl staring at him with wide innocent eyes. He hated to disappoint the kid. Damn, he had no willpower where Maggie was concerned. That iron band squeezed his chest again.

"Can I go?" Maggie begged. "I really, really want to fly in your plane."

"I'd like to take you, but . . ." The idea of taking Maggie to Laredo appealed to him. And maybe she wouldn't have to be disappointed. Maybe Beth would agree to go. She'd refused way back when they had decided on the no-touching policy. But they were doing a lot of touching these days. And nights.

"But what, Trevor? Can I go, please?"

There was really no reason for Beth not to go to Laredo. "We'll see how your mom feels about it, okay?"

"Yippy!" Maggie threw her arms around his waist and hugged with all her might. "Thank you, thank you."

"Don't get your hopes up," he warned, palming a hand over the top of her golden hair. He was starting to like Maggie's generous hugs and that wasn't good. And he was definitely liking her mother's kisses and hugs. That was downright dangerous. "Your mom already said she didn't want to go."

Maggie smiled up at him. "We'll have to talk her into it, won't we?" The little girl turned away and started painting, humming a happy tune.

Trev dipped his brush in the can and reached over Maggie to paint under the eaves. He hoped Beth would agree to fly to Laredo. He'd like to show her some of the sights. Show her a good time. Impress her with his wealth.

_Whoa, Callahan_. He'd spent his entire adult life avoiding women who were impressed with his wealth. Now he'd finally found a woman who cared for him as a man. For once, his money didn't matter. Beth liked him for himself.

Oh yeah, life was starting to look good again. Trev hummed along with Maggie and continued painting.

### CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Beth stared out the window of Trevor's small private jet. They were sitting on the runway at the Stone Creek airstrip preparing to take off. Why in the world had she agreed to go to Laredo? Hadn't she decided not to? True, that was when they were trying to keep a distance from each other, but still.

Maggie had begged and pleaded and begged some more. _Can't we go, Mommy? Please? Please?_ Beth had finally given in just to shut her up.

She must be crazy. That's the only explanation Beth could think of. She was weak and crazy. Crazy in love with Trevor Callahan. Might as well add stupid to the list, too.

Beth turned to watch Trevor adjust Maggie's seat belt in the back seat. Her daughter was chattering away a mile a minute. "I'm so glad I'm finally getting to fly," Maggie said. "And I'm so glad I'm going to see Bonita. I've missed her so much."

"Quit squirming, kiddo," Trevor said. "I can't get the buckle fastened."

"Oh, sorry. I'm so excited. Aren't you excited, Mommy?"

Trevor snagged Beth's gaze and winked. She felt herself blush. "Yes, Mags. I'm excited."

When Trevor made sure Maggie was secure, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged tight.

Trevor hesitated a fraction of a second before returning Maggie's embrace. He kissed the top of her golden curls and closed the door, headed around the front of the plane and climbed into the pilot's seat.

Beth straightened in her own seat and swallowed a big lump in her throat. She'd bungled this whole thing big time. Why hadn't she realized her daughter was crazy about Trevor, too? That she'd bonded with the man and would miss him when he was gone?

_Damn, damn, double damn_. The only man who'd stirred her emotions in ways she'd never dreamed possible was going to walk right out of her life. And she couldn't think of any way to stop him.

She was going to lose Hank's bequest, too. Funny how the money had dropped down on her priority list, now that she understood Trevor's need to sell the ranch and move on.

Yesterday, she'd called Dave and asked him to leave out the bequest when he read the will. He'd said that wasn't an option; he had to read the will as written. Beth desperately wanted to confess everything to Trevor, but could never find the words nor bring herself to break her promise to Hank. The guilt was killing her.

Yeah, she'd bungled this thing big time, all right.

And just when it had looked like she'd gotten her act together and her life back on track. She had survived those long rough years after Matt had left her. Struggled through working and going to school and raising a baby. But it had been worth it. Beth had built a happy, satisfying life for her and Mags.

Then along came Trevor Callahan. Complicating everything. Making her confuse lust and love again.

"Here you go," Trevor said. "Put these on." He handed a headset to Beth, then leaned around and helped Maggie with hers.

"What are these for?" Maggie asked.

"They'll let us talk to each other once we take off. So we don't have to yell over the noise of the engines." He twisted back in his seat and started flipping switches and checking gages.

"Cool! Isn't this cool, Mommy?"

Beth adjusted the set over her ears. "Yeah, Mags. Very cool."

Trevor looked at Beth and smiled. He'd put on his aviator sunglasses and looked impossibly handsome. And in total control. "Ready?" he said.

Beth nodded. How could she have been so foolish as to lose her heart to this man? How could she have forgotten how wealthy he was? How could she have known or guessed?

He owned a private jet, for goodness sakes. A limo was waiting in Laredo to drive them all over town.

Beth felt like Julia Roberts in _Pretty Woman_. Okay, so she wasn't a hooker. But she _was_ having a mad passionate affair with a very wealthy man, who flew his own plane. And Trevor was much better looking than Richard Gere, at least in her opinion.

_Oh man._ She was in big trouble here.

But life wasn't like the movies or romance novels. Trevor had warned her not to expect anything from him. Only a good time. A sexual relationship and nothing else.

Beth sighed as the plane took off, leaving the ground behind. Time was running out. And there was nothing she could do about that either.

****

"It's so good to be home, no?" Bonita smiled and did a little dance around the kitchen. A dance Trev had seen her do a hundred times when he was a kid. She set her purse on the counter, smoothed her hands over the tile as if reacquainting herself with an old friend. She stopped and stood near the stove, hands on wide hips. "And it is so good to have you back home, _niño_. It's been too long. Much too long."

"I know. Leo's already lectured me for staying away." Trev hauled her bags to her bedroom next to the kitchen. Upstairs, Beth and Maggie were unpacking after the trip from Laredo.

He headed to the dining room, needing to check his email. Bonita dogged his footsteps, hovering around him like a mother hen with a long-lost chick. He didn't know whether to be pleased or irritated.

Trev sat at the dining table and turned on his computer. Bonita stood next to him. "Well, I never would have thought it, but for once I must agree with Leo. I missed you, _niño_. You shouldn't have stayed away. You should have come home once in a while." She laid her hands on his shoulders and kissed his cheek, just like when he was a little boy. "Ah, no matter. What is important is that you are home now. How about I fix you something to eat? What would you like?"

"There's food in the fridge," Trev said. "I know you're tired. You don't need to cook."

"I'm never too tired to cook. Especially for you. How about I make _calabasa_ and _fideo_? Two of your favorites, yes?" She kissed his cheek again.

Damn, he could get used to this. He hadn't had the pork and zucchini dish since he'd left the ranch. His mouth watered just thinking about it. "That's too much trouble, Bonita."

"No trouble, _niño_. I am so glad that you are back. We must celebrate."

"What are we celebrating?" Maggie asked, running into the room. "Are we going to have a party?"

Bonita smiled. "Yes, we will make a party because Trevor is home. Come, _niña_. Help me in the kitchen."

Maggie skipped over to Trevor and tried to kiss his cheek, but settled for the side of his arm.

"What's that for?" he asked. The band around his heart constricted almost painfully.

"For taking me flying in your plane and bringing Bonita home." She grinned up at him. "And because I love you."

Before he could say anything, Maggie ran to join Bonita, who was waiting in the doorway. The housekeeper gave him a knowing look before turning away.

****

Later that night, Trev stood at the kitchen sink, getting a glass of water, staring out the window into the darkness. Bonita was upstairs tucking Maggie into bed. The little girl was overjoyed to see the housekeeper again.

Trev was glad to see her, too. When they'd gone to her mother's house in Laredo and Bonita had hugged him to her ample bosom, an ache and long-forgotten need pierced him deep in his heart. The way she hung around him, touching him and kissing him, reminded Trev of how Bonita had mothered him as a child. Reminded him that he'd had two champions on his side, providing a much-needed cushion of support against Hank.

Trev chugged the water and set the glass on the counter. Funny how he'd forgotten Leo's and Bonita's support through all those years. Mostly he remembered the painful memories; they had overshadowed the good ones. And it wasn't funny at all that his grandfather's stern treatment had covered up a deep love for his grandson.

As Trev turned from the window, a movement outside caught his eye. _Beth_. She was heading in the direction of the pond.

Trev didn't think twice. He was out the door in a matter of seconds. He followed her at a distance, careful to keep silent. Maybe he shouldn't be following her, but he wanted to be near her, take her in his arms again. Make love to her. It had been too long. Way too long.

The trip to Laredo hadn't played out exactly as he'd planned. Beth had been quiet and distant. With Maggie along, there hadn't been time for romantic kisses or dinner by candlelight. And Beth hadn't seemed unduly impressed with any of the special treats he'd planned for her entertainment. The more lavish the treat, the more she had withdrawn.

He didn't know what to make of it. The women he usually dated loved it when he spent money on them. The more, the better. But not Beth. She really _wasn't_ impressed with his wealth.

Crickets chirped and an owl hooted in the pasture. The full moon shone brightly on the pond, sprinkling pinpoints of light on the glass-smooth surface. Beth walked out on the pier and sat down. Trev watched her from the bank for a little while.

He had known coming back to the Rocking C would be unsettling. But he'd thought that selling the ranch would put the past to rest and his future would be smooth sailing from here on out. He hadn't counted on having his heart resurrected and feelings reawakened. Maybe Hank had been on to something. Maybe caring did make a man weak.

Trev sure as hell didn't feel strong right this minute. He felt vulnerable. Exposed. Like he was about to risk it all and had no idea if he'd survive. Life had been much simpler when he'd stuck by his credo of not needing anyone, only depending on himself. Thing was, he didn't know if that was going to work anymore.

When he stepped onto the pier, Beth's head whipped around, her green eyes wide. Her hand flew to her chest. "Goodness, you scared me."

"I didn't mean to. Mind if I join you?" He didn't wait for an answer, but walked down the wooden planks and sank down beside her.

Beth pulled her knees up and hugged them to her chest. She sighed a wistful sigh. "It's so peaceful out here." Her voice sounded husky and breathless. It reminded him of when they were in bed. "I'm going to miss it," she said.

For a second, he almost told her he wouldn't sell the ranch. He quickly banished the thought that he'd do almost anything to make this woman happy. "I'm going to sell it. You know my reasons."

"Yes, I know." She turned her head and stared at him. "But I've grown spoiled. Visiting the Rocking C has provided Maggie and me a haven. I can't help it. I've grown to love this place."

A soft breeze blew over the pond causing the moonlight to shimmer like tiny diamonds on dark velvet. Beth shivered and hugged her knees tighter.

"Cold?" Trev asked. Even though it was the first week in June, the nights were sometimes cool. The weather in Texas was always unpredictable.

"Not really. Maybe a little."

Trev moved closer and put his arm around her. She rested her head in the crook of his shoulder. "Better?" He kissed her hair.

"Yes. Much better. Thanks."

He kissed her again. "Anytime."

As they sat looking at the water, a peaceful calm settled over Trev. A feeling he'd never experienced before in his entire life. Or at least that he could remember.

Beth lifted her head and looked at him. "Won't you miss the ranch at all? Won't you miss any of this?"

"I don't know. Maybe." And that confused the hell out of him. Trev tucked a long strand of wild curly hair behind Beth's ear. She trembled beneath his touch. Just like that he was hard with wanting her. "I know one thing," he said. "I'm going to miss you and Maggie."

A flash of yearning and sadness in her eyes made his heart squeeze tight. He cupped her smooth jaw with his hand.

She covered it with her own. "Don't go, Trevor. Don't sell the ranch. You could stay. You could keep the ranch."

"Beth, I--"

Suddenly, she was on her knees with her arms wrapped around his neck, kissing him deeply, passionately. She felt so good, tasted so sweet, made him so hot he felt like he was going to burst if he didn't bury himself inside her right this minute.

Trev pulled her onto his lap and deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue into her mouth, groaning when she latched on and sucked hard. She twisted around until she straddled him, nestling his arousal between her thighs.

"Damn, you're killing me here, sweetheart."

Beth smiled, kissed him again and then proceeded to drive him insane.

He had to touch her breasts or he'd die. Quickly, he unbuttoned the front of Beth's blouse and deftly undid the clasp of her bra. Her head fell back and he kissed his way down the column of her throat, kneading her breasts, relishing every whimper and moan erupting from the vital woman in his arms.

He bent and took a nipple into his mouth. Beth dug her hands into his scalp and held his head. She squirmed in his lap, rubbing him until he nearly exploded with need.

"Make love to me, Trevor. Please."

A quick look around assured him they were alone and not likely to be interrupted. The pond stood secluded in this portion of the pasture. The banks were high and the pier almost out in the middle of the water.

He unsnapped her shorts, thrust his hand under the elastic of her panties and touched her. She was so hot and wet, Trev clenched his teeth to keep control. He kissed her almost brutally, feeling a primitive need to join with her--right here, right now.

Beth pushed Trev to his back, her hands busy with the buttons of his shirt. "Please tell me you brought protection," she said breathlessly.

It took a minute for her words to penetrate the sensual fog clouding his brain. She was still kissing him, and the movement of her hands on his chest were driving him to desperation. "In my jeans pocket," he said, finally gasping the words out.

"Thank God! Help me take your shirt off."

Trev sat up, shrugged it from his shoulders, then bunched it up for a pillow to cushion his head on the hard planks of the pier.

Beth pushed him back down. "Now the jeans." She reached for the zipper. The brush of her fingers on his fly threatened Trev's control.

"I'll do it," he said, his voice gritty with suppressed passion. He shoved off his jeans and underwear, then wrestled the condom from the pocket and set the small square packet on top of his pants.

Beth got rid of her blouse and bra. She shucked her shorts and panties, too, then straddled him again. Trev thought he'd never seen such a beautiful, wondrous and thoroughly erotic sight in his life. He'd never felt so alive and sexually aroused, either.

The woman looked like Venus personified with her long hair floating around her head and cascading down her bare shoulders. The moonlight glimmered on the red spiraling tresses, creating an otherworldly halo around her face. Her pretty breasts bounced as she moved and her fingers teased and taunted him, her lips hot on his skin as she bent to kiss and lick his neck.

He ran his hand down her smooth silky back and lingered on her bare bottom. She raised her head and her green eyes glowed like emeralds. She smiled a sexy little smile as she made her way down his stomach, dipped her tongue in his belly button, then moved lower. Much lower.

Trev nearly came unglued when Beth took him into her warm wet mouth. She wrapped her fingers around him, squeezing gently as her lips worked their magic. His hips actually bucked off the pier. _Damn!_

She lifted her head, and her smile became more pronounced, more sexy. "Easy, Mr. Hotshot. We're going to take this nice and easy."

Trev couldn't stand it any longer. "I don't think so, sweetheart." He grabbed her arms and hauled her up the length of his body. Reaching for the condom, he tore open the package.

Beth took it from him. "May I?"

_Oh yeah. "_ Be my guest."

She held his arousal erect and kissed the tip. Trev closed his eyes on a groan. "Come on, Beth. I'm dying."

She didn't say anything, only smiled that sexy little smile again. He held his breath while she slipped on the protection. Then she rose above him and slowly impaled herself.

In a matter of seconds, Trev's control snapped. He clamped his hands on her hips and helped established a rhythm that would pleasure them both. She moved over him almost frantically, urgently. She held on to his wrists as he thrust deeper inside, her long hair caressing the tops of his thighs.

Damn, it had never been like this. Never this good.

"Look at me, Beth."

With a shuddering sigh, she met his gaze. Trev nearly forgot how to breathe. He'd never seen a woman look at him like Beth was doing now. His heart contracted painfully. One last thrust and . . . ecstasy.

Beth collapsed on top of Trev and he held her close with her head nestled on his shoulder. After several seconds, she kissed his neck. "Trevor?"

"Hmm?" God, he felt good. And she felt good in his arms.

"I love you. You realize that, don't you?"

His eyes shot open. "Beth, don't--"

"Shhh." Two fingers touched his lips, scorched them, burned. "You don't have to love me back," she said softly. "I just wanted to tell you. I _needed_ to tell you." She settled back down and snuggled against him.

"Beth, I can't . . . I don't know how . . ."

Trev felt her nod, her sigh warm on his chest. "I know, Trevor. I know."

****

The next morning, Beth climbed into the bookmobile. She wasn't quite ready to tackle a new day, but she didn't have much choice, now did she? The world didn't stop turning just because Beth Evans had acted like a fool.

Why had she told Trevor she loved him? What in heaven's name had possessed her to do it? Had she lost her cotton-picking mind?

Beth gripped the steering wheel and let out a huge sigh. Last night on the pier. The moonlight, the water, the soft breeze. The man.

Oh, yeah. The man. Trevor Callahan. The man who evidently had made her lose what little sense God had given her.

She cringed when she remembered practically begging him not to sell the ranch, too. She'd only been thinking that she didn't want him to leave. It had nothing to do with the terms of Hank's will. Good lord, she _had_ lost her mind.

Beth turned the key in the ignition and the bookmobile's engine roared to life. She sat there a moment, letting it warm up, and mentally listed the things she had to do today. Mags was taken care of. That was always a load off Beth's mind. Her daughter was in heaven. School was out for the summer and Bonita was back from Laredo. Those two had a lot of catching up to do.

Beth put the van in gear and headed for the road. She needed to run to town and pick up this morning's books for the day's deliveries.

Continuing with her list, she groaned. This afternoon, she had to meet Trevor at Dave's office for the reading of Hank's will. What was Trevor going to think when Hank's bequest of a million dollars was announced? What would his reaction be when he found out about the attached stipulation?

Good grief, what a mess. What a complicated, horrible mess. Why had she told him she loved him?

Right before Beth reached the road leading to the highway, she glanced up at the windmill behind the barn. Her heart lurched in her throat, as she slammed on the brakes.

Mags was up on the windmill! Way up there, high above the ground. Hanging on for dear life. If she fell . . .

Beth jumped out of the bookmobile and ran toward the windmill. She wanted to holler and scream, but didn't want to startle Mags. Her little girl looked terrified as it was. Please God, don't let her fall.

"Mommy! Mommy! I can't get down. Help me! Help me!" Beth's heart froze at the sheer terror in Mags's voice.

"I'm coming, baby. Don't look down. That will make it worse. Hold on tight."

"Don't you climb up here, Mommy! You'd be more scared than me."

True, Beth did have a thing about heights, but that didn't matter when her baby was in danger. "Hold on, Mags."

"I am, but my arms are getting tired."

Leo came running from the barn. "Keep holding on, little darlin'! Help's on the way. We'll get you down."

"Oh, Leo. Help!" Maggie squeezed her eyes shut. "Hurry!"

Beth looked around, hoping Trevor would come, too. She needed him. Lord, she needed him. Not only right now. She needed him forever.

And like that, he was by her side. His hand clamped on the back of her neck, his touch reassuring.

"It'll be okay," he said. "I saw her from the scaffolding and came as fast as I could. She'll be all right, I promise."

He was gone on the words.

"Hey, kiddo," Trev called from the base of the windmill. He tilted his head back and shaded his eyes from the early morning sun. "Whatcha doing up there?"

Maggie looked down at him and actually grinned. Beth was going to throttle her daughter as soon as she was safely down on the ground.

"Trevor! Thank goodness. I know I shouldn't have climbed up here, but I wanted to get a different--"

"Perspective," Trev said. "I know. Don't move. I'll be up in a jiff." He consulted a minute with Leo, then began the ascent up the ladder attached to the steel girders.

Beth waited beside Leo and watched Trevor climb the windmill. Mags stood on a small platform behind the twirling blades, holding on with a death grip to one of the poles.

"Trevor, I'm afraid," Maggie cried. "I don't want to fall. It's high up here."

"Hold on and you won't fall. Talk to me. Maybe that'll help. Why did you decide to climb the windmill anyway?"

"It was a 'speriment."

"An experiment? What kind of experiment?" Trevor was already halfway up the windmill. A couple minutes more and Beth could breathe again.

"You know. A science 'speriment." Mags tightened her hold on the pole and looked toward the big Texas sky. "The scaffolding gave me a different perspective. Flying in your plane was even better. But I wanted something in between."

"So you decided to climb up here?"

Maggie gave a little nod. She kept her eyes on the sky above. "Going up was easy. I thought it was going to be like climbing on the scaffold when I helped you paint. Boy, was I wrong. It's high up here. And I don't have the safety belt. When I decided to go down . . ." Maggie's voice trailed off and ended with a sob. "Hurry, Trevor. Hurry."

"I'm almost there. Keep talking, Maggie."

"Mommy, where are you?"

"Right here, baby. Right here. Don't look down."

"I'm not," she said. "Leo?"

"I'm here," he said. "You'll be down safe and sound in no time."

Beth watched as Trevor continued his climb. The platform was way up there. She wanted to kill Mags for being so reckless. Hug her, then kill her. Then hug her some more.

"Trevor!" Maggie cried.

"I'm right beneath you," he said, then swung himself up beside her. "Gotcha." He grasped Maggie by the shoulders and pulled her to him, holding her safe. She threw her little arms around his neck and cried.

Beth felt tears in her eyes at the sight. The man she loved, holding her baby close. Rescuing her from danger.

"You're all right, Maggie." Trevor hugged her and wiped her tears. "Ready to climb down?"

Maggie shook her head and launched herself against him again. Trevor soothed her sobs, and Beth wanted to cry.

"It'll be okay," Trevor said. "Hang on to my neck, and I'll keep you safe."

"Don't let me fall."

"I won't. I promise. We're coming down," he called to Beth and Leo.

Climbing down was a slow process. Beth held her breath. Trevor had to balance Mags while finding footholds on the narrow ladder each step of the way down. After what seemed like an eternity, they were safely on the ground.

Beth rushed over and hugged both of them. She smoothed the golden curls away from her little girl's face. "You okay, Mags?"

Maggie nodded and buried her head in Trevor's shoulder. Beth knew how good and safe that shoulder felt.

Trevor transferred Mags into Beth's arms. Beth hugged her tight and sent up a silent prayer of thanks. "That was a dangerous thing to do, Mags. You could have been seriously hurt."

"I'm sorry, Mommy."

Beth kissed the top of her head. "It's okay, sweetie. Just don't do it ever again."

"She better not do it again." Leo stepped closer and patted Maggie's back. "You gave us quite a scare, little darlin'."

"I won't do it again. I promise."

"Okay, then," Leo said, his voice gravelly. "I've got work to do." He turned on his heel and headed toward the barn.

Maggie twisted toward Trevor and reached for him. "I want Trevor to hold me again."

"What's wrong with me holding you?" Beth asked. She didn't know whether to be glad or a little jealous.

"His arms feel stronger. Please?"

"Sure thing, kiddo." He took Maggie from Beth and held the little girl close to his heart.

Maggie lifted her head and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for saving me."

"You're welcome." He rubbed her back. Beth saw the care and concern for her little girl in his dark eyes. Her heart swelled with love for him.

Maggie rested her head on his shoulder and sighed a big heartfelt sigh. "I love you, Trevor. We both love you. Don't we, Mommy?"

Trevor snagged Beth's eyes. She wasn't exactly sure what she saw there. A little bit of fear mixed with a whole lot of wariness. A sprinkling of hope, perhaps?

"You love him, too. Don't you, Mommy?" Maggie asked again. "Yes," Beth said softly. "I love him, too." It wasn't like he didn't know. Not after last night.

"I sure wish he would stay. Don't you, Mommy?"

Trevor stood there, staring at Beth. The want, the need, the yearning on his handsome face was enough to make her cry.

She stared right back at him. "Yes, baby. I wish he'd stay."

Maggie wiggled to position herself so she could look Trevor straight in the eye. "It hurts my tummy something fierce when I think about you going away. Won't you miss us even a little?" She frowned at the man holding her in his arms.

Trevor cleared his throat before he answered. "I'll miss you. A lot."

"Then don't go," Maggie said. "Stay with us. I want you to be my daddy. Mommy, don't let him go away."

Oh lord. Beth swallowed back the tears. Trevor looked shell-shocked.

"Hush, Mags. Trevor can't stay. He has to sell the ranch. We've talked about this, remember?"

Maggie buried her face in Trevor's shoulder and cried. "I don't understand. Don't you like us, Trevor?"

He patted her back. "Of course, I like you. You're a special little girl. I'll come back and visit you."

"Promise?" Maggie said.

"Promise." Trevor knelt and tried to set her on her feet, but she wouldn't let him. She tightened her arms around his neck. "Not yet. Hold me some more. Don't let me go."

"It's going to be all right, kiddo. You're going to be okay. Want to go up to the house and let Bonita get you something to drink?" He looked at Beth for guidance.

Beth nodded. Trevor was learning how to handle Maggie. Maybe he'd learn how to handle having someone love him, too. She could only hope. If not, the future looked bleak and lonely. Not only for Beth and Maggie, but for Trevor Callahan, too.

### CHAPTER FOURTEEN

_"I, Henry Travis Callahan, being of sound mind and body . . ._

Dave Jamail started reading Hank's will at four-thirty that same afternoon.

Trev looked around the long mahogany table in Dave's conference room. Leo sat stiffly erect, Stetson in front of him on the table, silver hair combed back from his forehead. Bonita sat next to him, dressed in her Sunday best, listening intently as Dave read all the legal rhetoric and mumbo jumbo.

Trev hoped his grandfather had done right by these people. He wasn't sure what to expect anymore--about his grandfather or anything else, for that matter.

The man whom Trev had known, the man who'd raised him so sternly was not, by all accounts, the real Hank Callahan. The journals had proven that. Beth's and Maggie's relationship with the old man had proven it, too.

If Hank hadn't done right by Leo and Bonita, and Trev would know in the next few minutes, then he would have to do something to take care of them. They were the closest thing he had to family.

So why was he selling the ranch and kicking them out of their house and home? _Not a good way to care for them, Callahan._

Trev had come to Stone Creek with one goal in mind and one goal only: sell the Rocking C Ranch, cut all ties to his grandfather, and put to rest his painful childhood memories.

But not all the memories were painful. Leo and Bonita had been there, supporting him, loving him, although he hadn't realized it. Hell, even Dave had been there for him.

Trev had left them all behind and never looked back, confident that he didn't need anyone but himself. Had he been wrong?

_Caring made a man weak_. How long would it take to figure out he might have been wrong about that, too?

Beth and Maggie sat across from Trevor at the conference table. Those two were the icing on the cake. _Wrong metaphor, but what the hell._

The moment he'd stepped inside his grandfather's house, Trev's life had turned upside down. The beautiful young single mom and her angelic imp of a daughter had stolen their way into his heart. Melting his defenses. Defenses he'd spent most of his life erecting and guarding with a vengeance. He'd been a goner from the get-go when he'd met Beth and her daughter. He might as well admit it now.

What he couldn't admit or truly believe was the fact that both Beth and Maggie loved him. For himself. Not his money. Not his social position. Both of them loved Trevor Callahan, the man.

It made him feel alive in ways he'd never felt before. Powerful, yet vulnerable. And that scared the hell out of him.

It was easier to accept Maggie's love. She was an innocent child. Those baby blue eyes had done him in that first day.

And this morning. God, he didn't like to think about this morning. Even now, Trev's heart hammered and adrenaline rushed his veins when he remembered seeing Maggie so small and so high above the ground. Every second it took to climb the windmill had knocked a year off Trev's life. When he'd finally had her safe in his arms, he hadn't wanted to let her go.

That was when he knew he loved her.

But loving a child was different than loving a woman. Many women had professed their love to Trev. None of them had made even a tiny dent on his stonewalled heart.

Beth was different. Money didn't seem to matter to her. Except for the library fund, Trev thought with a smile. She would do almost anything to get that library built.

No matter what happened, Trevor decided to help her with the project. Beth was so giving, so helpful. She'd helped him see things differently.

And she loved him. She'd told him last night on the pier and again this morning. He didn't know what he was going to do about it. Didn't know if he really believed her.

Trev realized Dave had stopped reading. His friend took a sip of water and shuffled the papers. "Now we come to the parts that will interest all of you the most," he said. "Hank's bequests. Shall we proceed?"

Everyone nodded. Dave cleared his throat.

"To Leo Smith, head foreman of the Rocking C Ranch for these past thirty years of loyal service, I hereby leave one million dollars."

Leo whistled under his breath, picked up his Stetson, then set it back on the table again. "God almighty, that old son of a bitch!"

Dave smiled and continued.

"To Bonita Gonzales, my housekeeper for longer than I can remember, I hereby leave one million dollars."

Bonita made the sign of the cross and clasped her hands over her bosom. "Thank you, Lord. And thank you, Mr. Hank."

Trev sat back and relaxed. What do you know? The old man had come through. Now if he'd done something nice for Beth and Maggie, Trev would know that Hank had really changed and hadn't been a complete bastard. Maybe he could even believe Hank had actually loved him.

Just then, he caught sight of Beth. She was staring at him with apprehension and something else in her pretty green eyes. Maggie, on the other hand, was oblivious to everything. Or almost everything. She sat at the table, absorbed with coloring pictures. She stopped to applaud when Dave announced the bequests, then went right back to her artwork. Trev could imagine her little legs swinging under the table.

He couldn't imagine why Beth was looking at him like that, though. Yeah, life had sure turned difficult. It was much simpler when you only had yourself to contend with.

"To Margaret Lynn Evans--"

"That's me," Maggie said, wiggling in her chair.

Beth kissed the top of Maggie's head. "Hush, baby." The little girl nodded, put down her crayon and sat straighter.

Dave continued. " _I leave in trust the amount of one hundred thousand dollars to be invested and used for college. I know you'll go far, Magpie."_

"Oh, Mommy. Remember how he called me that? Wow, that's a whole lot of money Poppy gave me." Maggie turned to look at her mother. Her eyes widened and she frowned. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm . . . I'm happy, that's all." Beth looked at Trev through her tears. "Your grandfather was a generous man."

Trev nodded. "I guess he was." Such a contrast to the taciturn man who had raised him.

"Shall we move on?" Dave asked.

Trev listened as Dave read the rest of the will. Hank had left everything else to him. The land and the money. No surprise there. Hank had been generous, especially considering the way Trevor had abandoned the old man. Life was full of regrets and could-have-beens, should-have-beens.

When Dave stopped reading and shuffled the papers again, Trev stood. "That settles it, then."

Dave cleared his throat and shook his head. "There's one more thing. A codicil Hank added a couple of weeks before he died."

"A codicil?"

"An addition to the will."

"I know what a damned codicil is." Trev sat back down. He had a bad feeling about this. Leo and Bonita listened to the exchange with interest. Beth suddenly wouldn't meet Trev's gaze. She busied herself with tending to Maggie. Did she know what was coming?

"For Elizabeth Anne Evans, I hereby donate one million dollars to her library fund. In addition, she will receive a monthly stipend of two thousand dollars for living expenses for as long as it takes to build the new Stone Creek library."

"Well, I'll be damned," exclaimed Leo.

"Oh, my goodness," Bonita said.

Trev heard Beth's gasp of surprise. Had she not known, then? She wasn't looking at him, but focused her attention on Dave, as if waiting for more.

Trev looked at Dave and saw his friend hesitate. Something wasn't right. He waited for the blow. There had to be a final blow. His grandfather couldn't have changed that much. Couldn't have been that generous.

"This bequest has one stipulation . . ."

_Ah, here is comes._ Trev braced himself. His gut told him this stipulation was going to hurt someone. Either Beth or himself. Why hadn't the old man donated the money free and clear?

"As long as the Rocking C Ranch remains in Trevor Callahan's possession, the transaction will go through as outlined above. If my grandson sells the ranch, the money will revert back to the estate."

Trev sat there stunned. He could see in Beth's expression that she'd known about this bequest of Hank's all along.

How many times had she begged him not to sell the ranch? How many times had she tried to change his mind? She was no different from all the other women in his life, he realized with a wrenching pain. Okay, so it wasn't _his_ money she wanted to get her hands on; it was Hank's. A mere technicality.

And his grandfather was still trying to manipulate him, even from the grave. The old man had been obsessed with the Rocking C Ranch. Obsessed with Trevor coming back home, keeping the land in the family. Obsessed and deranged.

This past month hadn't meant a goddamned thing. Trev had thought he'd learned that things hadn't really been what they seemed. That things had changed.

He'd been wrong. Nothing had changed. Things were exactly what he'd always believed. His grandfather might have professed his love in those damn journals, but his actions spoke louder than words. This last blow showed the old man's true colors.

And the bastard had been right. Caring did make a man weak. The one time in his life Trevor had let down his guard and what happened? His heart had been stomped to the ground, that's what. Because now he knew he loved Beth Evans.

_Loved Beth Evans_.

She'd said she loved him, too. Trev had almost begun to believe her. But it had all been a farce. She'd used him to get Hank's money.

Maggie jumped up and stood on her chair. "Oh, goodie! Does this mean Trevor isn't selling the ranch?"

All eyes turned his way. Well, damn. Leave it to the kid to lay it all out in the open.

"Sit down, Mags." Beth closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Trev tried to ignore the way her breasts pushed against her blouse. Breasts he'd never see, or touch or taste again. Damn her for ruining that, too.

"I don't want to sit down." Maggie turned to Trevor. "Are you going to sell the ranch?"

"I don't know." He didn't know anything right now. His brain had stalled. He felt the walls of the conference room close in on him.

"Trevor?" Beth's soft voice shook with emotion. Or was it guilt?

Through the red haze of anger and pain, Trev looked at her. Her beautiful face was pale, the freckles standing out in stark relief. Her green eyes were wide and her lips trembled.

Dave pushed back his chair and stood. "Trev, I can explain--"

"You're supposed to be my friend," Trev said, shoving back his own chair and rising to his feet. Inside he was shaking with anger. With betrayal. "You knew about this and didn't say anything."

"I couldn't. I promised Hank--"

"I don't want to hear it." Trev gripped the edge of the conference table to steady himself. "Everyone out of this room. Now! This is between Beth and me."

"Okay, Callahan. Have it your way." Dave stuffed the papers in his brief case. "We're finished here, folks. I'll send a copy of the will to each of you and make the arrangements for the bequests to be distributed."

Trev nodded, not taking his eyes off the woman who'd betrayed his trust and love.

"Come, _niña_." Bonita walked around the table and gathered Maggie in her arms.

"But what's wrong?" the little girl asked. "Why is Trevor looking like that? Mommy, I don't understand."

Beth slowly rose to her feet. "Go with Bonita, Mags."

"But--"

"Go on, Mags."

Everyone exited the conference room, leaving Trev alone with Beth.

"I had already decided not to accept the bequest," she said as soon as the door closed. "Ask Dave. He knows. So it's not what you think--"

Trev snorted in disbelief. "Isn't it? How many more lies are you going to feed me?"

"I haven't lied to you."

He didn't say anything. Couldn't say anything. Beth was lying right now. She'd lied to him from the beginning. Every look, every gesture, every kiss.

"I couldn't tell you what was going on. I've wanted to; God how I've wanted to, but I couldn't break my promise to Hank."

"Because the money was so important?"

"It _was_ important. But after I realized how you felt about the ranch, I didn't want Hank's money. I only wanted what was best for you."

Trev laughed mirthlessly. "That's hard to believe right now. Especially considering the terms of the bequest. A million dollars is a lot of money. I know how important the library is to you."

Beth bit her bottom lip. "The library is important. And at first, I did want you to keep the ranch because of the money. I made that promise to Hank almost a year ago. I hadn't met you yet. I'd only heard Hank's side of the story. I thought you'd heartlessly abandoned the old man."

"You know it wasn't like that." God, she was so beautiful. He wanted her. Even after what she'd done, he wanted her. He despised himself for his weakness.

_Caring made a man weak_.

" _Now_ , I know you didn't abandon him," she said softly. "I didn't know then."

Trev refused to give in to the entreaty in Beth's voice or the tears in her eyes. His anger was too raw, too painful. He wanted to lash out. He wanted to hurt her as much as she'd hurt him.

"Tell me one thing," he said. "Did you sleep with me in order to get Hank's money? Did you tell me you loved me to make it seem more real?"

The look on Beth's face and the hurt in her eyes should have given Trevor immense satisfaction. It only made him feel worse.

With a strength he didn't know he possessed, he hardened his heart against the woman standing across the table from him. He never should have lowered his defenses. He should have known better.

_Caring made a man weak_.

Tears coursed down Beth's cheeks. "You have to believe me. It wasn't like that," she whispered. "It was never like that."

He stood, placed his fists on the table and leaned toward her. "Well, sweetheart, it certainly looks that way to me. And you know what? You gambled and you lost. I'm selling the ranch like I've intended from the beginning. I'll admit I was having second thoughts. I was actually starting to enjoy being at the ranch. With you and Maggie. But it was all a lie--"

"It wasn't a lie!" Beth said. "You have to believe me. I couldn't go back on my promise to Hank. I gave him my word."

"Well, you won't be getting Hank's money now. And you sure as hell won't be getting any of mine."

Beth wiped away the tears and raised her chin. "I never wanted your money. And I've already told you I wasn't going to accept Hank's." She grabbed her purse. "I understand why you need to sell the Rocking C. And I also know you need to learn to accept people's love. You're right--I did gamble and I did lose. But Hank's money is nothing compared to . . . Oh, never mind." Beth turned on her heel and marched to the door.

"Compared to what?" he shouted. She was torturing him. Killing him. Part of him didn't want to let her go. The other part wanted to push her away. Far, far away.

Beth stopped at the door, her head bent. Her shoulders rose, then fell with a sigh. "I lost something far more valuable than Hank's money."

"What did you lose?" Trev asked roughly. He knew Beth was hurting. She was putting on a brave front, and damn if he didn't want to hold her close, to let himself believe it was all a mistake. To believe she actually loved him.

With her hand on the doorknob, Beth looked at him over her shoulder. "I lost my heart, Trevor. I lost my heart to you."

Trev watched the door close behind her. Was Beth telling the truth? Did she really love him? And even if she did, could he trust her after this?

****

_She'd done it again_. Beth threw an armload of clothes in the suitcase, then went to the closet and gathered up shoes and boots and crammed them in a large plastic garbage bag. Man, how much stuff had she brought to the ranch? She and Mags had been here only a month. It seemed liked they'd brought most of their belongings from the garage apartment to these rooms upstairs in Hank's house. And it had begun to feel like home.

Beth sniffed and wiped away a tear. She wouldn't cry now. Later. Later, she'd cry.

Maggie skipped into the room. "Mommy, I can't find Mr. Bigs. I can't leave without my bunny." She plopped on the bed and thrust out her bottom lip in a pout. "Why do we have to go? I don't want to go. I want to stay here. I want Trevor to stay here, too."

"I know you do, baby. But we can't," Beth said. "It'll be nice to be back home. Close to Nana and Pawpaw." Beth swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn't want to leave, but she didn't have a choice. Trevor thought she'd betrayed him. He wouldn't listen to her. He didn't believe she loved him.

She'd bungled it again. Big time.

When would she realize she didn't have what it took to have a relationship with a man? With Matt, she'd confused lust and love. But she didn't have them confused now. No, she knew she truly loved Trevor with all her heart and soul. But she'd hurt him so badly.

It was all very complicated and confusing. She'd never get it right.

"You and Trevor had a fight, didn't you?" Maggie asked. "Can't you say you're sorry and be friends again? Maybe he'd stay. Maybe he wouldn't sell the ranch if you were friends again."

_If only it were that easy_. Beth took a deep breath. "Trevor and I can't be friends anymore."

"Why not?"

"It's grownup stuff. It's hard to explain."

"Is Trevor mad at me, too?" The hurt in her little girl's eyes pushed Beth's own hurt to the background. She sat on the bed and pulled Mags onto her lap. She kissed the golden curls and breathed in the scent of her baby. At least she had Mags.

"No, Trevor's not mad at you."

"Can I draw him a picture and make him a card?"

"Sure, that would be nice." Maybe that would help Mags deal with this painful upset in her life. Beth hugged her daughter close and wished she could do something similar to deal with the pain. But nothing would make the pain go completely away. Trevor had touched something deep in her soul and Beth knew she'd never be the same again.

****

The next morning, Leo invited Trevor to ride out with him to check the fences and the livestock. They rode for several minutes in companionable silence. Trev wondered why he'd never remembered the good times in his past with Leo. How many times had they ridden out like this when he was a kid? Why did he only remember the bad things?

"So, you're really going to do it," Leo said. "You're selling the Rocking C."

"That's why I came back." But Trev was having second and third thoughts about selling. He'd spoken in anger yesterday in Dave's office. He had just about made up his mind to keep the ranch. But realizing Beth had betrayed him . . .

He'd stayed awake all night thinking about it.

Leo flexed his shoulders and tipped his Stetson back on his forehead. "Well, son, I have a proposition for you."

"What kind of proposition?"

"I want to buy the ranch."

Trev didn't know if he'd heard Leo right. " _You_ want to buy the ranch?"

"I have the means now, thanks to your granddaddy. The Rocking C has been my home for thirty years or more. I'm too old and set in my ways to go anywhere else. And I don't want strangers owning the ranch. I may not be a Callahan, but I love this land same as Hank loved it. Same as you do, if you would own up to it. So if you're set on selling, then I'll be buying."

"What if I decide not to sell?"

"Well then, I'll stay on as foreman as long as I can." He paused. "If you'll have me, that is."

"Damned straight, I'll have you." Trev couldn't imagine Leo anywhere else but on the Rocking C. Bonita too, for that matter. Hell, he couldn't throw them out of their homes. He couldn't sell the ranch either. What had he been thinking?

Leo pulled his horse to a stop. Trev sidled next to him. Across the pasture, Thunder Two grazed near a stand of mesquite trees. The horse was the spitting image of his sire. Trev's heart ached with the loss of Thunder. He'd loved that horse.

"Hank loved Thunder," Leo said, echoing Trev's thoughts. "He wasn't afraid to show his affection for animals. Everyday, he'd feed Thunder a lump of sugar, a couple of carrots. He'd talk to him. I heard him. He'd talk to him about you. Your granddaddy wanted to mend the rift he'd created, but you refused to budge. All those years--wasted and gone." Leo shook his head.

Trev didn't know what to say. Didn't know where this was going. Or maybe he did.

"There's a woman over yonder in town that loves you, son. Don't let your past stand in the way of happiness. I know Hank never showed you a smidgeon of affection, though he loved you deeply. I know he taught you caring makes a man weak. That's a load of bullshit. Love don't make you weak. Love makes you strong."

"I don't think so." Trev didn't feel strong. He felt weak as hell. He'd felt numb ever since Beth had walked out of Dave's conference room and out of his life.

"Look how strong Beth is," Leo continued as if Trev hadn't spoken. "Look how much she cares about people. You should count your blessings that you're one of those people. Let the past go, son. Start living in the present and think about the future."

"I don't know, Leo." Trev didn't know anything anymore.

"Think on it a spell, son. That's all I ask."

### CHAPTER FIFTEEN

A couple of nights later, Trev roamed aimlessly through the old ranch house, looking, searching. For what, he didn't know. The emptiness rang loudly in his ears. Beth and Maggie were gone. Their rooms cleaned and straightened. Empty. All signs of occupation completely obliterated. Only the ghosts of their presence remained.

The house was quiet. Too quiet. He'd become accustomed to hearing Maggie's little voice asking questions. Her smile. Her giggles. Her hugs. Damn, he missed the kid.

He missed Beth, too. There was a hole in his chest where his heart had been blasted out. He'd never felt so alone, not since his parents had died and he'd had to come live with Hank.

Bonita was gone. Trev had flown her to Laredo yesterday to be with her mother again. He'd assured her he would be okay. He would be leaving in a matter of days anyway.

He'd done a lot of thinking on the return flight home. Not _home_ , he corrected himself. The ranch. But it sure had started to feel like a home these past couple of weeks. A home with Beth and Maggie.

Yeah, he'd done a lot of thinking. Up there in the big blue sky with the earth moving beneath him, he'd had a lot of time to think. Just him and his plane. Flying through the air. Couldn't get much more alone than that.

_Wrong_.

He was alone now. Before, it hadn't bothered him. Before Beth Evans had come into his life, Trev had convinced himself that alone was good. He'd lived in a vacuum, his heart safe and secure. And lonely.

Damn, he'd been lonely for a long time now.

Trev stopped at the door to Hank's study. Books, lots of books, lay in piles on the floor, on the tabletops, on the chairs. Evidence of Beth's presence hit him with the force of a wrecking ball taking down a brick building.

He stepped into the room and looked around. Memories bombarded him. But they weren't bad memories. They weren't memories of Hank. Nor were they memories from his childhood.

They were memories of Beth. Good memories. Happy memories. Like the day he'd followed her in here, demanding to know why she hadn't asked him to make a donation to her library fund. Trying desperately to ignore the strong chemistry flowing between them. He'd wanted to kiss her then. From the first moment he'd met her, he'd wanted to kiss her.

Trev walked over to the library table and ran his hand over the smooth dark wood. He'd done a lot more than kiss her on this table. His body immediately tightened as he thought of Beth and how he'd touched her. How she'd responded and shattered with pleasure beneath his fingers.

He fisted his hand and turned away. The stepladder stood near the back wall of shelves. The ladder Maggie was always wanting to climb. What was it with that kid and climbing?

Something hanging over the top of the ladder caught Trev's eye. Curious, he walked across the room and grabbed a white envelope. His name was on it, carefully written in purple crayon. Maggie had disobeyed Beth and climbed the ladder and left this for him.

For a minute, Trev stood there and stared at the envelope, turning it over and over. How could a grown man be afraid of something like this? Afraid of a letter from a sweet little girl.

Carefully, he opened the flap and drew out two pieces of paper, both folded neatly into squares. Trev sat at Hank's desk and unfolded the first square. Purple crayon again. Trev had to smile at that. His hand shook slightly as he began to read.

Dear Trevor,

Mommy sed I coud make you a card To say goodby. Thanks for bein the bestes friend after Leo. Thanks for savin me on the winmil. Thanks for lettin me paint with you. Most of all thanks for takin me in your plane.

I love you very much,

Maggie

PS Hope you like the piktur.

Trev cleared his throat twice, before unfolding the second piece of paper. It was a drawing of the ranch house. An extremely detailed drawing for a five-year-old. He shook his head and smiled again. The details shouldn't surprise him considering this was no ordinary five-year-old. Although the spelling in the letter showed she was still very young.

Trev studied the picture with interest. Maggie had drawn the white house with the dark green shutters and door, the porch with its railings, the geraniums, the swing and even the porch light. All depicted clearly and meticulously colored. She'd drawn the scaffolding at one end with two cans of paint on top, along with the rollers and brushes.

Three people sat on a pallet on the lawn in front of the house. Trev recognized the scene. It was the day they'd shared a snack on the quilt beneath the big mulberry tree. Maggie had drawn a heart around each person. They were eating brownies. Everyone wore a big smile. Underneath, Maggie had written: _I wish we cood be happy agin._

Pain squeezed Trev's chest so tightly, he thought he was having a heart attack. He wished they could be happy again, too. He was wishing it more and more with each passing second.

Trev looked closer at the picture. Up above the house, in the middle of the blue sky, Maggie had drawn a man sitting on a cloud, smiling down at the scene below. The man wore a battered cowboy hat. Inside the cloud, Maggie had printed: _Poppy loves us all_.

Trev leaned his elbows on his thighs, held the paper between his legs and stared at the picture for a long, long time. He remembered sitting like this a week or so ago after he'd read Hank's journal. A lot had been revealed then.

There was a message here, too. Somewhere. If he could read between the lines, there was a message for him. Or maybe it was staring him in the face, but he was too dense, too hard-headed, too scared to see.

_I wish we cood be happy agin_.

Maggie wanted Trev to be her daddy. She loved him. And he loved her, damn it. He loved Beth, too. And he knew deep down, that Beth loved him. Not his money. Not his social position. Just him. She'd told him so and he hadn't believed her. She'd apologized for everything and he'd thrown it back in her face.

Trev stood abruptly. Still looking at the picture, he gazed at the drawing of his grandfather sitting on that damned cloud, smiling down on the house and the group of people on his lawn.

Poppy loves us all.

Well, hell. It all came down to that, didn't it? Trev needed to let go of the past. That's why he'd come to the ranch in the first place. He needed to believe his grandfather had loved him. Needed to believe that he, Trevor Callahan, was worthy of love. Had always _been_ loved.

Leo and Bonita had loved him. They still loved him. He just hadn't realized it before. He'd been too busy trying to gain Hank's favor and approval. And after he left the ranch, he'd been too busy trying to ignore his grandfather and the hurt he'd inflicted.

All those years wasted. All that pain for nothing. Because Hank _had_ loved him. His grandfather hadn't wanted him to be hurt. But the old man had screwed up. He'd hurt Trev in the process of trying to protect him.

Trev folded the picture and letter and stuffed them back in the envelope. It was time to let go of the past and take hold of his future. He wasn't going to waste any more time either. He was going to do it right now.

****

The loud knock on the door startled Beth. It was late and she was alone in the apartment. Mags was spending the night with her nana and pawpaw and Beth had been attempting to get all their stuff organized and settled. She'd been trying to get over the pain of leaving the ranch. Trying to get over the pain of leaving Trevor. Trying, but miserably failing.

The door rattled on its hinges with the next series of knocks. "Beth, let me in. I know you're in there." There was a pause. "Please, let me in."

Beth's heart tumbled at the sound of Trevor's deep voice. What was he doing here? She looked down at her jammies. Or what passed for jammies--a cropped tank top and boxers.

"Beth. Please open the door."

She could see him through the window. The intense look in his gray eyes made her blood buzz with heat and her heart hum with hope.

Taking a deep breath, Beth flipped her long hair over her bare shoulders and went to let Trevor in. Suddenly, it didn't matter about her state of dress. Or undress. He'd seen her in a lot less, hadn't he? And he'd liked what he'd seen. A lot.

_Don't think about that, Beth_.

She opened the door. He stood on her landing, the porch light illuminating his rugged face. A shadow of beard covered his cheeks and chin. His hands were by his sides. In one hand, he clasped Mr. Bigs. Beth's heart sank.

"May I come in?" he asked.

She couldn't speak, so she nodded. Disappointment and pain lanced through her body. Trevor wasn't here for her. He'd come to return Mags' stuffed rabbit.

The living room seemed to shrink; Trev's big body dominated the space. Beth shut the door and turned to face him. She would not cry. She would not beg. She could do this.

Summoning a smile, she asked, "You found Mr. Bigs?"

Trev looked at the animal in his hands as if he'd forgotten its existence. "Yeah, she left him in the laundry room." He held out the rabbit toward her.

Beth hesitated before stepping closer and retrieving Mags' toy. A hint of cologne and Trevor's own unique smell teased her senses. Made her want things. Things he didn't want to give her. Things he didn't think himself capable of giving.

"Thanks for returning him. Mags will be glad."

"Is she in bed?" he asked, looking around the apartment. Beth wondered what he thought of her modest home. It was nothing like the ranch house and she could only imagine the difference compared to his place in Tulsa. He was accustomed to luxurious and expensive surroundings.

Beth shook her head. "She's at my mom's."

He didn't say anything, just stood there, tall and sexy as hell, his gaze returning to her, taking in her skimpy attire from her wild loose hair to her bare painted toes. Fire lit his eyes; his lids grew heavy. She forced herself to stand still and tried to ignore her body's traitorous response to the man she loved. The man who was too damaged to love her back.

Beth turned away and set Mr. Bigs in the overstuffed wing chair. She faced Trevor again and lifted her chin. She refused to be a coward. "Was there something else? Besides bringing Mags' rabbit?"

His jaw tightened like he was angry. "I didn't come here to return the damned rabbit. I decided to come over here because we need to talk. About us. About what's happened. I was on my way out the back door when I spotted the rabbit on top of the dryer."

Beth's heart kicked up its tempo. He wanted to talk? "You were coming over?"

"Yes, I was." Trevor advanced toward her, steely determination in his eyes.

"Why?" A part of her wanted to retreat, but the other part of her was thrilled at the dangerous restraint she sensed in Trevor. Hope struggled past the despair that had hung over her since the reading of Hank's will.

With his heart in his throat, Trevor stopped in front of Beth. Time stood still for a moment, the only sound the hum from the air-conditioner in the window. "Why the hell do you think I'm here?" he said. "To see you. To talk. And to do this." He took hold of her shoulders, pulled her body close and crushed his mouth to hers. She felt soft and warm in his arms. She tasted sweet and hot.

When she'd opened the door, the want and need to touch Beth had been overwhelming. Her long mussed hair begged him to bury his hands in the silky strands. The slinky top showed bare skin above the waistband of those sinfully short boxers. Her long legs made him hard thinking about having them wrapped around his waist.

And God he was so hard now, he was hurting. She felt so good, he wanted to die. No, not die. He wanted to live. Really live. Not just exist, like he'd been doing for most of his life. He wanted it all. He wanted Beth. Sweet, sexy Beth who'd taught him so much. Who loved him for himself. For showing him that caring makes you strong, not weak.

Trev backed Beth toward the sofa and eased her down on the soft cushions. She wiggled under him, adjusting the fit and he thought he'd burst from the pleasure. He savored the moment, savored the woman.

As much as he needed to plunge himself into her warmth, Trev wanted to get things settled between them first. With super-human effort, he pulled back, leaning his weight on his elbows and looked at her beautiful face. Her eyes were closed, her mouth slightly parted, her lips moist and swollen from his kiss.

"Look at me, sweetheart."

Beth's eyes opened and immediately anxiety and confusion showed in their green depths. She tried to push him away, but Trev wouldn't let her.

"We can't do this," she said. " _I_ can't do this. Sex won't solve anything. It'll only complicate matters."

Trev kissed her forehead and sat up, pulling her with him. "Why do you think I stopped?"

"I don't know." Beth swiped her hair from her face and inhaled a shaky breath. "When you kiss me like that, my mind shuts down and my body takes over." Her eyes widened. "Forget I said that. You wanted to talk? What about?"

Trev kept his hand on her shoulder in a possessive grip. He wanted Beth in his life, but was afraid to expose his feelings. Old habits were hard to break. But he had to take the risk. "I want to apologize for my behavior in Dave's office the other day. Now wait a minute," he said, when she started to speak. "Let me finish. Then you can have your turn."

Beth nodded and folded her hands in her lap.

Trev cleared his throat. "All my life, I've felt like no one loved me. My parents died and left me. Hank's treatment made me feel worthless. I know now he was trying to toughen me up, and I'm working on accepting that he cared about me.

"When I left the ranch, I was determined to make it without Hank's help. And I was successful, but I turned into a workaholic. Work became my life. Money and success became my lifeblood. The magazines wrote about the women in my life. But those women only liked me because of my money."

"Surely not all of them," Beth protested.

Trev shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. But that's what I told myself. Because I didn't feel worthy of anyone's regard or love. Until you came into my life." He gently rubbed his fingers over her cheek, wiping away the tears. "Are these for me?"

She nodded and sniffed.

Trev tenderly kissed each cheek, tasting the salt from the tears. "No one's ever cried for me before."

Beth tried to smile. "Maybe no one's loved you like I love you."

He kissed the corners of her mouth, nibbled her bottom lip. "So, you still love me? I haven't ruined that?"

Beth sniffed again. She stroked his jaw with one gentle hand. "I love you. I told you I don't want your money. And I don't want Hank's money. I'll get the funds for the library some other way. I know you need to sell the ranch--"

"I'm not selling the ranch."

She looked at him in surprise. "You're not?"

"No, I'm not. I had almost made up my mind before the will was read. After I found out about Hank's bequest and his stipulation . . . I was angry. I've lived so long with these feelings, it's difficult to get past them. But I'm really trying, and I've decided not to sell the Rocking C."

He took her into his arms again. "I love you, Beth Evans. Your love has made me strong enough to fight the demons. I'm going to fight and win. Will you help me, sweetheart? Will you marry me?"

Beth smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Yes, yes! A thousand times, yes."

Trev smiled back. He kissed her again, relishing her warm response. His last defenses crumbled away. He trusted Beth with his love. He knew he could trust her with his heart. And he had no doubt she'd take good care of it.

****

Later that night, Beth lay in Trevor's arms, her head on his shoulder, his heartbeat steady beneath her ear. She swirled her fingers through the hair on his chest. He caught her hand in his and lifted it to his lips. "A penny for your thoughts."

Beth smiled. "How many times do I have to tell you, I don't want your money?"

Low laughter rumbled in his chest. Beth's heart turned over. It was so good to hear this man laugh. He kissed her palm and awareness zinged through her body.

"About my money, sweetheart. There's something we need to discuss."

"Like a prenuptial agreement?"

"Actually, I wasn't thinking along those lines."

"Well, you need to," she said. "We come from different worlds. You're extremely wealthy and I have practically nothing."

Trevor held her away from him and grabbed her shoulders. For a moment, she thought he was going to shake her. "I don't ever want you to say or think that again. Your love means everything to me. My money means nothing. If anyone's not worthy, it's me."

Beth placed her hands on his wrists and squeezed gently. "Let's make a deal then. I won't worry about our social differences, if you promise to start believing in yourself."

He stared at her for a long moment. Beth felt like he was looking deep into her soul. "Okay, it's a deal." He kissed her and let his hands slide down her bare arms, then lower until he was cupping her breasts. He kissed the corners of her mouth. "So, about my money."

Beth closed her eyes on a sigh. Trevor's hands and mouth were driving all thoughts of talk from her brain. "What about your money?"

"I want to make a donation to your library fund."

Beth's eyes popped wide open. "You don't have to do that."

"Yes, I do. I want to match Hank's bequest--".

"But I don't want Hank's--"

"Shh. Don't argue. Hank wanted you to have that money and so do I. Anyway, I want to match . . . no, I want to double it. Whatever it takes to cover the building costs."

Beth was stunned by his generosity. "Are you sure? That's a lot of money."

"I know how important the library is to you."

"Thank you." She kissed him, then resumed her position on his shoulder and snuggled close. "Now, if only I can find the right builder."

Trev cleared his throat. "You know, I'm in the construction business. I'm going to be building a resort hotel on Coyote Lake."

She lifted her head and looked at him. "You are?"

"Yes, I am. And I could build the library for you, too."

"Oh no, I couldn't ask you to do that."

Trevor caressed her cheek. "Ask me, Beth."

His low sexy voice caused a familiar quiver deep inside of her. She wondered if she'd still feel this way fifty years from now. "You've already done too much. The donation is enough."

"Ask me."

Beth searched his handsome face. She realized this was important to him. "Will you build the Stone Creek Library for me, Trevor?"

He squeezed her tight and kissed her nose. "I'll build the best damn library you've ever seen."

"Thank you." Beth's heart swelled with love. "Now, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, sweetheart. Anything."

Beth hesitated. It was now or never. "Do you think we could live on the ranch after we're married? You, me and Mags? And maybe a baby Callahan or two?"

Before she knew what was happening, she was flat on her back with Trevor covering her body with his. He kissed her so tenderly, Beth thought her heart would burst.

"Is that a yes?" she asked, when they came up for air.

"Most definitely a yes. With you and Maggie, the ranch finally feels like home." He kissed her again, more deeply, more passionately. "What do you say we start working on a baby or two right now?"

"I'd say that's a fine idea."

Beth melted into his embrace. Fifty years of loving this man would only be the tip of the iceberg. Her feelings for him would last a lifetime.

She knew Trevor had a long way to go before his heart was fully mended. He had taken a giant leap of faith in order to accept her love and to love her back. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, Trevor Callahan. Just you and only you."

"Forever and ever, sweetheart."

Beth smiled. "Forever and always."

THE END

###

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***

Return to Stone Creek Series

Book One: Her Reluctant Rancher

by Anne Marie Novark

Living with his stern grandfather taught Trevor Callahan one important lesson: Caring makes a man weak. Now the old man is dead and Trev returns to Stone Creek for one reason and one reason only--to sell the Rocking C Ranch. Maybe then he can put his past behind him and move on.

Beth Evans once confused lust for love and vows never to let it happen again. The bookmobile driver is trying to raise funds to build a new library. The late Hank Callahan bequeathed a million dollars for the project, but he attached one stipulation: Do not let his grandson sell the ranch.

***

Return to Stone Creek Series

Book Two: Tall Dark and Texan

by Anne Marie Novark

Former bad boy Mitch Defalco roars into Stone Creek, Texas, on the back of a Harley with his newly discovered daughter riding behind him. Single mom Sarah Cooper cannot believe he's moved in next door. She had a secret crush on him years ago when he dated her older sister back in high school.

As Mitch tackles the responsibilities of fatherhood, Sarah admires the way he's turned his life around. She asks him to help her with a personal problem: Her fear of men. Mitch knows he's bad news for sexy Sarah, but how can he refuse her dangerous request, when she's determined to move forward with or without his help?

***

Return to Stone Creek Series

Book Three: One Handsome Cowboy

by Anne Marie Novark

Leslie Taylor moves to Stone Creek so she and her son can start a new life. Her job at the Dusty Boots Ranch is perfect except for one six-foot tall, drop-dead gorgeous problem: Marco Defalco. Her boss is way too sexy for Leslie's peace of mind.

Saddled with enough family responsibilities to last a lifetime, Marco Defalco doesn't ever want to get married. But when he meets Leslie Taylor, the sexual attraction is too strong to ignore, and Marco has the sinking suspicion his bachelor days are numbered.

***

THE MEN OF THE DIAMONDBACK RANCH

by Anne Marie Novark

The McCades. Four brothers whose love for the land is engrained in their souls. Four rugged Texans who live and breathe for the women in their lives. Four heroes who will steal your heart.

Cameron McCade

Book One: The Doctor Wears A Stetson

Jessie Kincaid was fifteen and innocent when Cameron asked her to the prom. She lost her heart that night, but his plans didn't change. He left their small town to pursue his dreams.

Seventeen years later, a trip home leads Cameron McCade back to Salt Fork, Texas, and the newly widowed Jessie Devine. Since his return, the fire between them burns as hot as ever. Can they take up where they left off? Can Jessie risk her heart again?

Dallas McCade

Book Two: The Cowboy's Surrender

Copper River Oil Company is drilling for oil on the Diamondback Ranch. Dallas McCade can't do a thing to stop them, because he doesn't own the mineral rights. To add insult to injury, they've sent a woman to oversee the operation. Dallas has good reason to distrust women. As soon as he sets eyes on Gillian Bankston, he loses his temper . . . and his control. That makes him spitting mad and frustrated as hell.

Gillian has never met a man quite like Dallas. He's rough around the edges, but his kisses are hot enough to ignite a West Texas wildfire. Gillian's been burned before and wants nothing to do with love . . . or lust. Battle lines are drawn and it's war between the sexes. Will they surrender to the powerful attraction neither can deny? Who will be the first to wave the white flag?

Austin McCade

Book Three: A Match Made In Texas

When Austin McCade's wife dies, a vital part of him dies, too. The sexy single dad devotes himself to his motherless daughter and his work on the Diamondback Ranch. For twelve years, he ignores life and women . . . until a new pretty schoolteacher moves to town.

From the moment Theresa Rogers arrives in Salt Fork, Texas, people warn her about the lonely widower. He's a hopeless case, a lost cause. But Theresa sees beneath the crusty exterior of the man to the deep emotions and his enduring loyalty. Can she pierce the impenetrable wall surrounding his broken heart? Will she be able to vanquish the ghost who keeps him from loving again?

Tyler McCade

Book Four: Lone Star Heartbreaker

Tyler McCade is the youngest McCade brother in Salt Fork, Texas, and the biggest heartbreaker of them all. Or he was--until a plane crash wrecks his body and sends his crop-dusting company into a tailspin. Needing time to heal and form a new business plan, he retreats to the Diamondback Ranch, where he spends too much time alone and tormented over the possibility that the accident might have been his fault.

Caitlyn Ross lives to fly planes. Accepting the job as pilot for Lone Star Wings seems like a dream come true. But when she packs up everything she owns and finds herself working for the brooding Tyler McCade, her defenses go on high alert. The sexual tension sizzles, but does she have what it takes to help him heal? And is she even brave enough to try?

And their sister:

Tori McCade

Book Five: The Cowgirl's Secret

An Independent Young Woman

Tori McCade is bound and determined to earn her degree and return home to practice veterinary medicine in Salt Fork, Texas. Nothing and no one can stop her, not even the hottest man she's ever met in her life.

A man who knows what he wants

Sam Garza meets the much younger Tori McCade in a dance club in Dallas, Texas, and all bets are off. He wants her, and he's going to have her . . . even if it means following her to Salt Fork. Both agree they need to keep things simple and uncomplicated. And he's okay with that . . . for now.

And the next generation:

Kelsey McCade

Book Six: His Hometown Cowgirl

When fate deals a cruel blow to Kelsey McCade, she returns home to the Diamondback Ranch to rebuild her life and heal her shattered heart. Unforeseen circumstances keep throwing her into the company of Pete Lafferty, the object of her teenaged fantasies. Against her will, Kelsey finds herself drawn to Pete--to the boy from her memories who kept her safe, and now to the strong and honorable man he's become.

Pete Lafferty has known a lot of women, but he's never fallen in love. When Kelsey McCade finally returns home, vulnerable but not broken, he quickly realizes she's a threat to his carefree existence. He's always had a soft spot for Kelsey, and seeing her grown up and beautiful stirs up emotions he's not sure he's ready to explore. He's never done a long-term relationship, and she deserves nothing less. He knows he's not the right man for her, but how can he convince his heart?

****

CHECK OUT THE DIAMONDBACK RANCH SWEETER SERIES

Same stories, only sweeter.

****

In the mood for an uber alpha male in the making?

Josh and Hannah

Redwood Falls

by Lynda Chance

Josh Turner wants Hannah more than life itself. She's perfect and new . . . but she's a McIntyre. She's from the richest family in the county, and he's a Turner, from the wrong side of the proverbial tracks. And to make matters worse, there's no love lost between their families.

****

How about a Sweet and Clean Historical Western Romance Short Story?

 The Rancher's Orphan Bride

 by Anna St. James

Rachel Hendricks moves to Cactus Gap, Texas, to reclaim her young brothers whom she sent out West on the Orphan Train after their parents died. She plans to reunite her family and make a home for them so they can start a new life together.

Reese Cooper takes the Hendricks boys under his temporary guardianship and provides room and board in exchange for good honest work. Even though he still mourns the death of his wife, the two boys inch their way into his battered heart. When their sister comes to claim them, Reese discovers the healing power of love.

You might also like:

Midnight My Love

A Traditional Regency Romance Novel

by Anne Marie Novark

For years, Damien Avenall loved Alexandra Turlington like a little sister; or so he thought until she grew into a lovely and desirable young lady. In a moment of madness, he kisses her and everything changes between them.

_Alex often wonders why the dangerous viscount betrayed their special friendship. His kiss awakened her to passion, but she knows better than to give her heart to a libertine. Or does she?_

***

HAPPY READING!!!

