Only Hers (34 page)

From the suitcase in Kane’s hand, it was obvious he was staying. As much as Matt loved his brother, he wasn’t going to let her get all tense. He might not completely trust her, but no one was going to cause her be uneasy, not even Kane.

Stepping forward, Matt gave her a smile hot enough to melt steel. The change in Shannon was instant. Her eyes softened, her lips parted.

“Keep that thought and you’ll be all right,” he whispered.

“If I don’t melt first.”

He grinned and brought her to where Kane was standing. “Shannon Johnson, Kane Taggart, my brother.”

Shannon extended her hand first, her smile open and warm. “Hello, Kane. I’ve heard a lot of good things about you.”

His large hand completely enclosed her smaller one. “Hello. Apparently you weren’t talking to my brother.”

Matt noticed the way Shannon’s eyes widened, her head tilted to one side as Kane spoke. His voice and his size always demanded a second look. It annoyed him a little to know Shannon was affected, too.

“Octavia,” she finally admitted.

“Come on, let’s go inside.” Matt’s hand still in the small of Shannon’s back, he led the way into the house.

Shannon stepped away from Matt as soon as Kane closed the front door. “Good night. I know you two must have a lot to talk about. I’ll just let Octavia know I’m back.”

“She adopted you, too,” Kane said with a smile.

“Yes. Good night again.”

As soon as she disappeared through the swinging doors, Kane started for the study. “I need to call Tory and see how she and the twins are doing.”

“How long have they been out of your sight? Three hours?” Matt said drolly and followed his brother inside.

“Laugh all you want. Your turn is coming.” Kane picked up the phone. “Real soon, it seems.”

Matt tensed. “What do you mean?”

“Shannon is a beautiful woman.”

“She’s okay, I guess.”

Kane replaced the phone without dialing, his laughter booming around the room. “Matt, your eyes were following her like a homing device. And she was trying so hard to keep from looking at you, I kind of felt sorry for her.”

“You must be really tired to be seeing things.” Matt flung himself into the chair behind the desk.

“Daniel said you were in trouble, but I never thought it had anything to do with a woman.”

Matt came out of his chair and around the desk in a flash. “Daniel needs to keep his mouth shut and stay out of my business.”

“Since he usually does, his call this morning concerned me a great deal.” Kane folded his arms and leaned against the desk. “He was worried that you were going to mess up somehow. He wouldn’t be specific. Now I understand what he meant.”

“The only reason he’s meddling is because he wants Shannon for himself,” Matt blurted, then scowled at his admission.

“From the little I saw, it’s
you
Shannon wants. And for her to be staying here with Octavia’s obvious approval, she must be a nice young woman.”

“That nice young woman wants to steal my land!”

Kane straightened. “What?”

“She was Wade’s nurse when he was in the hospital in St. Louis. He left her the meadow. All she came here for was the land.”

“Is she going to sell it back to you?”

“She claims Wade left it to her to help her get her life back together and once her vacation is over the end of this week, she’s going to just sign it over to me.” He stalked across the room. “I’m not that big of a fool.”

“I don’t know, Matt. Wade was a pretty good judge of character.”

“Not when it came to women. Shannon can twist men around her little finger without trying. You see how quickly you jumped to her defense,” Matt accused tightly.

Kane studied his younger brother intently. “Are you angry because you’re scared you love her or angry because she has a claim to part of the ranch?”

“I’d rather be kicked in the head by a bronc than let another woman tear my heart out. Shannon can leave tonight for all I care. The only thing I care about is keeping the ranch intact,” Matt hurled.

A small gasp had him turning toward the sound. Shannon stood in the doorway, a tray of sandwiches and iced drinks in her hands. Anguish bracketed her tightly compressed lips. She stared mutely at Matt. He sensed she wanted—needed—him to deny his words, but he couldn’t.

“Matt,” Kane said. “Don’t let the past ruin this for you.”

Matt walked to Shannon. He had tried to warn her. “I’m too hard to care for anyone. The ranch is the only thing I need.”

With a whimper of pain, she thrust the tray at him and fled up the stairs.

Matt’s hands clenched the wooden tray. His chest felt tight.

“You’re a fool if you don’t go after her.”

“Just let it go.” Matt placed the food on the coffee table. “The bedroom across from mine is empty. I’ll be back in a little bit.”

“Need some company?”

“No thanks.” The tightness of his chest increasing with each breath, each step farther away from Shannon. Finally he reached the front door and opened it. Surprise widened his eyes.

Victoria Taggart gasped, then smiled on seeing her brother-in-law. “Hello, Matt. I didn’t know the twins and I were making that much noise coming up the steps.”

A stunned Matt barely had time to glance down at the sleepy-looking toddlers leaning against their mother’s legs, before he was brushed aside.

Kane scooped up a child in each arm. Their drooping lids drifted closed as they settled against the familiar muscular warmth of their father. “Tory. I thought we agreed you were going to stay home.”

Victoria, stunning in a white linen suit accented by gold jewelry, smiled into the scowling face of her husband. “It’s a woman’s privilege to change her mind. Give me a kiss before I start thinking you aren’t just as happy to see me as I am to see you.” Catching him by the narrow space of shirtfront between the twins, she pulled his head down to hers.

When she released Kane, he reluctantly lifted his head. “That wasn’t fair.”

She smiled ruefully. “It wasn’t meant to be. We’ve never spent the night apart and the more I thought about it, the more I knew I didn’t ever want to.”

“I wasn’t looking forward to it, either,” he confessed.

“Then it’s a good idea I had the foresight to expect such an occurrence and get flight reservations and rent a
car to get me and the children from the airport,” she told him.

Kane chuckled and kissed her on the nose. “This is what I get from being married to a businesswoman. Sassy and smart. Don’t ever change.”

“Hello, Victoria. Excuse me and make yourself at home.” Matt stepped around the happy couple. It wasn’t envy he felt. He didn’t need a woman’s love.

“Is he all right?” Victoria whispered.

“No, and he’s too stubborn to admit it.”

Matt walked faster. It was best, safest, to be alone. All he needed was the ranch. Getting in his truck, he drove off. The strange tightness in his chest somehow had moved to his throat.

With trembling hands, Shannon threw her possessions into her suitcase. She had to get away before she completely broke down. If she let the tears start, she didn’t know if she’d be able to control them. The only person who could help was the man who had caused them.

The searing knowledge eclipsed everything else. Her love hadn’t been enough to heal his heart as he had helped to heal hers. If she thought there was a chance, she’d stay. If only they had more time, if only the meadow wasn’t between them, if only his first wife hadn’t scared him so badly. If only . . .

Snapping shut the overstuffed suitcase, she groaned under its weight as she picked it up. She’d have to come back for the rest of her things. Closing her door softly, she made her way quietly past Matt’s room and his study.

Outside, she breathed easier, but the tension returned when she saw Matt’s truck missing and a car parked behind hers. Getting her car out would be a tight squeeze. She had no choice, though. The alternative of facing Matt was too painful. Putting her luggage inside the trunk, she went back upstairs for her overnight case and her quilt.

She was on her way back downstairs when the door across from Matt’s room opened. Kane. She wanted even
less to see the man who had witnessed her embarrassment.

He stepped into the hallway. Shannon was sure she didn’t make a sound, but he suddenly looked over his shoulder and saw her. His gaze immediately went to the case in her hand. Softly he closed the door.

“I don’t guess I can get you to reconsider.”

Trembling fingers tightened on her luggage. “No.”

“Where do you plan to spend the night?”

“One of the hotels on the interstate.”

“What if there aren’t any vacancies?”

Shannon stared straight ahead. “I’ll manage . . . be fine.”

“That may be, but I can’t let you leave.”

“What!”

“Running away is not going to solve things between you and Matt,” he said bluntly.

“You heard him yourself, he doesn’t want me,” she whispered, the words making her ache.

“He wants you too much. That’s the problem.”

Shannon refused to let herself hope he was telling the truth. The bedroom door Kane just closed opened. He turned in that direction.

She started for the stairs. Out of the corner of her eyes she caught a glimpse of a woman, then she heard Kane call her name. Her speed increased. She had to get away.

“Shannon. Stop!”

She swung around, the case banging against her leg and throwing her off balance. She was too close to the landing. Her eyes widened as she dropped the things in her hand, her arms windmilling to keep her balance.

Kane’s hand shot out to grab her a second too late. She felt herself falling backward. A scream tore through her throat.

Her body hit something hard but yielding. She heard a muffled sound and felt the shock of landing. Her body trembling, she shut her eyes.

“Say something,” demanded Kane.

Shannon opened her eyes to see Kane and a beautiful woman kneeling by her side. Both of their faces were filled with concern. “I . . . I’m only winded.”

“How about you, Matt?”

“I’ll live.”

Shannon tensed. The sound had come directly behind her. Rather beneath her. The warmth and hardness of a man’s chest, Matt’s chest, came through her clothes. She had fallen on top of him.

She scrambled to her knees beside him. Her hands ran over his chest, his arms. “Do you have any trouble breathing? Does anything hurt? Dizziness?”

“Yeah,” Matt said.

“Where?”

“Here.” He laid his hand over his heart.

Shannon hadn’t dared let herself look at his face. Now she slowly allowed herself to do so. In his eyes she saw a tenderness he made no attempt to conceal.

“You . . . you must have bumped your head.”

Matt sat up, his arm going around her waist. “For once I’m thinking straight. You can take those things back upstairs.”

“So that’s all you want.” She pushed out of his arms and reached for her overnight case. Matt pulled her back in his arms, and before she could do more than gasp, he held her down with his body. “Let me go.”

His grin infuriated her. “I’m not that big of a fool.”

“Matt, are you all right?” Victoria asked.

“Never better. If I’m not, Shannon can take care of me. She’s a nurse.”

“Couldn’t you tell from the way she was so, ah . . . thorough in checking him over,” Kane said with a smile in his deep voice.

Shannon groaned. She wanted to disappear through the floor. It wasn’t fair that they could laugh at this any more than it was right for her body to betray her. Her nipples had hardened and she had to grit her teeth to keep from arching her hips toward his.

“You want me to use my broomstick, child?” Octavia asked. “I heard all the commotion in here and grabbed it just in case.”

“Told you twern’t necessary,” Cleve pointed out.

“Why are you here then?” the housekeeper questioned.

“’Cause I saw all them cars, and then after the boss left I got to thinkin’ somebody might be sick or something,” the ranch hand answered.

Matt glanced around to see Octavia in her robe and Cleve by her side. He felt Shannon tense, then wiggle her body trying to hide under him. He wished she’d stop that. He wanted her bad enough as it was, and if he stood up everyone would know it.

“If you don’t mind, Shannon and I would like some privacy,” he finally said.

“Matt’s right,” Victoria agreed. “Octavia, Cleve, good night. We’ll talk in the morning.”

After exchanges of good nights, there was silence.

“Get off me!” she snarled.

Matt came to his feet and immediately swept Shannon into his arms and held her securely against his chest.

She glared at him. “I’m leaving no matter what you say.”

“If I can find the right words, I don’t think you’ll want to.”

Shannon was so surprised by what he said that she didn’t resist when he carried her into the den and sat in his desk chair with her in his lap. Opening the drawer, he took out the account book, a second larger thin blue leather-bound book, and a brown folder.

“The ranch is the only thing I ever owned that gave back. Even when I’m working sixteen hour days, the ranch brings me a sort of peacefulness I’ve never known before. I never thought I’d need or want anything more until I saw you asleep in the meadow.” His hand stroked her from hip to shoulder and she was powerless to withhold a shiver of response.

“I tried to control my feelings, but it was as useless as trying to hold the wind. I didn’t want to believe your kindness didn’t have a price. Even when we made love, I refused to believe you just wanted me. It was easier to look for deceit in you than face my own feelings. Diana, my ex-wife, had taught me too well. Before tonight I didn’t even want to say her name and I became enraged if anyone else did.”

So that’s why everyone referred to her as “that woman.”
Shannon turned in his arms. “I understand, Matt. You don’t have to explain. I know you gave me all you could. You can’t love me the way I love you.”

His hand paused, then began the slow steady glide again. “When you ran up those stairs, I felt like a vise had clamped around my chest. I didn’t know what it was until I drove to the cabin, walked through the door and realized we’d never be there together again.”